helmet

Helmets may save lives, but they become less effective when they develop even small cracks. So in an attempt to alert bicyclists, motorcyclists, and construction workers when their helmets should retire, researchers in Germany are developing helmets made of polymer materials that start to smell foul when they crack. The bigger the crack, the fouler the odor.

How foul? Think formaldehyde. Which is somehow both absurd and brilliant--absurd because no one wants to reek of formaldehyde, and brilliant because, well, no one wants to reek of formaldehyde.

"Cyclists often replace their helmets unnecessarily after dropping them on the ground, … Read more

The Crave video podcast returns! Donald Bell and Jasmine France review a weird and wonderful week of posts from CNET's Crave blog, highlighting a new robot from Honda, a vintage video game sound box, a Kug, a cooler, and a privacy helmet that should come with its own spit valve.

Three days was all it took for two electrical engineering undergrads at the Nirma University in Ahmedabad, India, to put together a wind- and solar-powered helmet for bikers. The prototype headgear by the entrepreneurial pair, Pragnesh Dudhaiya and Aalok Bhatt, comprises solar cells and a mini fan, and is capable of charging a mobile phone using the energy generated from a 40-minute ride.

Granted, the design needs some serious work, but Pragnesh and Aslok hope the dual-purpose helmet will encourage bikers in the city to don the protective headgear. That in itself is admirable.

The pair plans to file a … Read more

It's Eureka moments like these that make for great stories. Two Brit pals play basketball. Elbow of friend meets head of buddy. Ice packs get handed out for injuries. Friend dumps pack in buddy's motorcycle helmet to relieve chilled fingers. Buddy accidentally dons helmet with ice pack inside. And instead of bobbing friend one on chin, exclaims how good it feels. Light bulb goes off as friend conceives of brain-cooling helmet that could save biker lives.

So there we have it, one ThermaHelm helmet that will cost you a pretty penny at 299 pounds ($490), but that could … Read more

If you can't tell by our coverage of the GoPro Hero and the ContourHD camera systems, we're big fans of capturing video of our automotive excursions. The ChaseCam system takes things a bit further than simple video capture by also recording GPS position, accelerometers, external vehicle sensors, and OBD2 data, all of which can be synchronized and overlaid onto the video using ChaseCam's software. However, to get these benefits, you need to purchase a camera, a solid state recorder module, and the data acquisition module.

At this year's SEMA Show, ChaseCam is simplifying its system with the unveiling of its latest generation video/data capture device, DIVA (Data Integrated Video Acquisition). DIVA basically combines the solid-state recorder and data acquisition modules into one box, with a few new features that aid in usability.

… Read more

I really like Photojojo, and its new collection of photography projects and DIY ideas for cameras is definitely worth checking out, but I don't know that I feel the same about the Happy Helmet Camera Mount.

For $20 ($36 for two), you, or someone you'd like to make fun of, can strap a tripod mount through the vents of a helmet. Press record on your camera and start riding, skating, taking punches.

The only downside I can think of (other than the pointing and staring) is that compact cameras generally do a poor job of handling wind noise … Read more

Flying your Bell Ranger in a ball cap is something of a fashion statement. But it lacks that iconic, ant-head panache that until recently only military pilots wearing restricted, government-use-only night vision-equipped helmets could pull off.

The NVAG-6 Night Vision Goggles change all that. They're the first night vision goggle certified by the FAA for civilian use, according to manufacturer Nivisys. Of course, looks are not what will sell this gear. It's the safety margin they can potentially add to low-light and nighttime flying (PDF).

"This is a historical moment for civil aviator night vision safety. Nivisys … Read more

Perhaps you're the owner of a fine driving machine capable of high-speed precision driving, the likes of which mere mortals can only dream. Or maybe you've got a beater that you take on the back roads every weekend. Either way, how do you share your driving experience with your pals on your favorite video-sharing site or car forum? GoPro may just have the solution for you in the way of its Wide Hero mountable camera.

GoPro's Lotus Exige was on hand to showcase the cameras. The vehicle was equipped with four cameras that I could see: one … Read more

I was recently shopping for a new bike helmet and I was struck by a realization: Is there another category with lower differentiation amongst the different brands?

Above is a representative sampling of helmets from four different manufacturers: Bell, Giro, Louis Garneau, and Specialized. I've removed the logos. Can you tell one brand from another? I certainly can't. (Answer at the end of the post)

The bike helmet category, so far as I can see, is primarily style driven, as all the helmets have to meet minimum safety standards determined by a couple of third party organizations. The … Read more