DIY Smart Bike Helmet

Equipping your car with accessories is pretty common these days. Xenon headlights, GPS receivers, voice navigation systems, when in a car, you certainly are as comfortable as being at home when driving a car. But what happens when the four wheels get cut down to just two? Is riding a bike or motorbike the same smart as it should be? How about making the rider smart and safe without even touching the bike? How about deploying the concept of wearable electronics in here? Let’s find out, how Citi Bike, New York’s popular bike station, modifies a standard foldable helmet to a smart GPS navigator cum light indicator.

This DIY solely uses Adafruit attachments of GPS module, accelerometer, light strips and power solutions. A perfect assembly of gadgets on a right sized helmet makes this DIY one of those few gadgets which tends to be a need than a want. Even though it is a custom built for Citi Bike, this smart helmet can be extensively used for general purpose navigation too.

A special mention in this DIY is about placement of the electronics components. The innovators at Adafruit have made sure that all the electronics (except the LED strips) stay on the inside of the helmet. This is just to make sure that the outside atmospheric variables do not cause any harm or ambiguity in the normal working of these helmets. The guide, additionally, also advises, you, the hobbyist to make it water (rain) proof. When made totally weather proof, the smart helmet gets quadrupled in its usage and productivity. This is not a Tony Stark DIY, but definitely very sci-fi!!