A startup comprised of a group of Russian engineers has created LiveMap a program that uses augmented reality, to display navigation information inside the visor screen of motorcycle helmets. Motorcycle drivers need a navigation tool that’s more effective than paper maps or GPS navigators with a touch screen. For them using a paper map requires them to make stops many times along the way. GPS browsers can distract the pilot and, for safety reasons, they should not be operated when in route.
As a way to avoid these problems LiveMap has been working on designing a “smart hull” prototype for the past five years. It works like a screen that displays maps and allows you to navigate simply through the GPS capabilities of the device. Similar to Google Glass, the image is projected from the rear of the hull to the viewer, is translucent, clearly visible and is always in focus. As well, the information, full-color, shown to the pilot without distracting your attention away from the road.
Advanced motorcycle helmets with Bluetooth and GPS integration already exist, but no helmet has the kind of interactive, visual map overlay that LiveMap proposes. Using a HUD and augmented reality and has a viewer that displays maps and images. Because the data is projected directly in front of the driver’s field of vision, and it is perfectly transparent, it does not distract the user.
