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Heads-Up Displays for Motorcyclists
An anonymous reader writes "An NYT article describes a new invention by a former racing driver to incorporate displays in the visors of helmets used by motorcyclists. A GPS receiver in the helmet is used to calculate position and speed of the wearer, and presumably in displaying route guidance. I'll bet some horrifying data could be gathered on the speed with which riders' heads impact the pavement after an accident."
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Motion Research - SportVue
Quite the morbid commentary posted beside the article there, but the Chevy Corvette Z06 already possesses HUD-capabilities - speed, current gear, etc. Helmets would be a nice next step, but incorporating it into more cars would be nicer.
Perhaps a button on the handlebars to toggle the HUD in the helmet would be appropriate. It would allow the rider to get the information when he wants it, but not be distracting all the time. It would definitely be an improvement over looking down at a gauge cluster, I would think.
If you've ever driven a car and instead of focusing on the road in front of you, tried looking at the windsheild, you'd realize just how hard it is to change focus quickly from the glass to the road. Now try driving with glasses on and focusing on the lenses of your glasses, while staying in your lane.
Further, when I go riding I spend most of the time with my visor up, to feel the wind on my face and enjoy the ride. Why would I want to keep my visor down, just so that it can tell me I'm speeding when I already know?
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Yes it is.
If, for example the speedometer and engine warning lights were in the HUD then the rider wouldn't have to take her eyes off the road to check them. Think about it for a second. The fighter pilots use it succesfully and damn if they don't have more things in their mind than motorcyclists.
The difference to the interior light reflection is that the reflection is on the wind screen but the HUD looks like it was outside the car closer to the objects the rider already looks at. It's "advanced enough" to me so someone else has to explain how exactly it is done.
Antti S. Brax - Old school - http://www.iki.fi/asb/
I would say more, since (1) GPS speed, in my experience, is very accurate, and (2) because motorcycle speedometers are notoriously inaccurate.
Finkployd
Actually the most common danger to motorcyclists is alcohol. The majority of bike accidents do not involve cars, read the Hurt Report.
Don't get me wrong, moron cagers are a danger, but this whole 'down a few beers and ride into the sunset' thing my fellow bikers have such a fixation with has to stop.
Finkployd
I take it from your post that you have never had a deer, or a pedestrian, let alone a car wander out into your peripheral vision, with obvious intention to wander some more.
I've been on a Yahaha 650XS Heritage Special for the last 11 years; thanks for asking.
I have been in situations where a glance down at my instruments is inopportune. It has never caused an accident because I do it quickly and my eyes are back on the road. FYI I also check my side mirrors when I change lanes or turn, and in that moment my eye is also not on the road ahead.
Maybe you've been riding for 20 years. Don't know; don't care. This is not a pissing contest. In my view, having something extra in my field of view that has no relation to the background I'm constantly scanning does more harm than good. I know the approximate RPM of the bike from its feel and sound. I've never gotten so crazy on it that I'm surprised by my speed when I check it. What exactly could you put on that HUD that would offset the additional risk, pray tell?
The cool factor does not cut it. Maybe on four wheels.
No, since the asphalt would be expected to be about parallel to the trajectory of the cyclist, so that would be an upper bound for the speed at which the had scaps along the road. Additionally, GPSRs are notoriously bad at calculating vertical speeds, and they sample only roughly every second, so there's not much to be learned in this regard. One would need acceleration sensors to gather any meaningful data.
I've responded to a handfull of motorcycle collisions in my area and only one of the drivers survived. He was bruised all over and had a broken radius and ulna.
Everyone else died instantly when they slammed into another vehicle, guardrail, divider, or embankment.
It's strange though--even after responding to all these, I still want to get a bike...
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