A Kickstarter campaign has started today for the Beacon Helmet with a £60,000 funding goal, with the project born of UK-based inventor Jeff Zhang’s vision to “make cycling much safer”.
It projects lasers either side of the cyclist and also in front of them to give drivers prior warning when a bike is approaching a junction. Beacon Helmet say the main issue it addresses is blind-spot accidents, by projecting a laser image 5-12 metres in front of the cyclist so they’re visible even in the blind spot of lorries and buses when turning. They also say it could help to prevent pedestrians stepping into cyclists’ path from behind parked cars.
The Beacon Helmet also encourages drivers to leave a safe distance when overtaking by placing the side beams over a meter out either side. As well as the front and side lasers, the helmet has indictator lights, an extra large indicator button, a brake light that automatically comes on when it detects deceleration, and front and rear LED’s. It’s even got built-in speakers that can be used for turn-by-turn navigation in conjunction with third-party apps, or playing music – though Beacon Helmet don’t recommend distracting yourself by blasting out the tunes in heavy traffic. It’s USB rechargeable with an estimated battery life of 3-5 hours, and weighs 400g.
The price is £249 on Beacon Helmet’s website, with pre-orders already being taken. If you want to stay updated on the funding campaign, head over to their Kickstarter page.
-1024x680.jpg "“Clear anti-cyclist bias”: Lawsuit filed against Toronto police after cop doored cyclist… before ticketing rider over incident")
43 thoughts on “World’s first helmet with laser projection launches”
* Grabs popcorn and waits *
* Grabs popcorn and waits *
This is far too funny to get
This is far too funny to get annoyed about.
Does it mean though, that every time you turn your head towards a driver or pedestrian you are likely to zap them in the retina with a laser?
(‘cos if so, maybe I want one after all)
Lasers are limited to not function at all time.
If you watch the video carefully, the laser is only turned on when you speed is above a certain threshold. when cycling at high speed, head movement is both rare and quick, and therefore laser distraction is very low.
FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:
Also the lasers are certified to be safe and won’t burn anything. Look at all the London public bike, they are all installed with a similar laser light.
BeaconHelmet wrote:
Also the lasers are certified to be safe and won’t burn anything. Look at all the London public bike, they are all installed with a similar laser light. — FluffyKittenofTindalos
Shame. I’d consider buying one if it had a “kill” setting, or at least a “burn a mark in your car” setting.
I like the idea of being able
I like the idea of being able to project a lane type light at the side of the bike (wouldn’t want it on a helmet though) it might help as a suggestion to car drivers as to what the minimum distance should be.
I don’t really see how this is going to work that well though, turn your head to check over your shoulder and you’re shining a laser all over the place no?
RobD wrote:
Hi Rob,
Your concern is dressed : the laser is only turned on when you speed is above a certain threshold (set at phone app). when cycling at high speed, head movement is both rare and quick, and therefore laser distraction is very low.
BeaconHelmet wrote:
I don’t have a smart phone (often don’t even have a ‘dumb phone’ with me). Even if I did I wouldn’t want to have to mess around running a special app every time I went anywhere.
This is just an overcomplicated non-solution that doesn’t even pretend to address the real issue.
Also, helmets are supposed to be replaced if they take a significant knock, are they not? At £250 a time?
I have this vision of the
I have this vision of the cyclist wearing this being chased by a load of cats going mental trying to get the green dots.
Peowpeowpeowlasers wrote:
Bwahahaha, post of the week
.
Peowpeowpeowlasers wrote:
Could be even more Benny Hill if the dogs chased the cats …
Grahamd wrote:
wearing little frilly knickers and mini skirts, followed by a small bald bloke. We’ve all been there….
I rather like the idea of
I rather like the idea of painting a line on the road to encourage drivers to stay on the outside of it. But shouldn’t the laser be mounted on the bike rather than a helmet unless you are encouraged not to move your head?
And as ever, there is the danger that cyclists who aren’t wearing the full armour are seen as some how authors of their own demise, and that some drivers won’t notice people who aren’t lasered up.
RobD wrote:
I used a laser-equiped back light for some time (https://www.amazon.com.mx/gp/product/B071NDZHY4/).
Unfortunately the lasers on it are projected just a few cm wider than the bike itself. It meant that even though most drivers did leave more space, some others passed me just by the edge of the light and thus very close to hitting me.
That’s a similar experince to what some report on narrow paint-only cycle lanes.
This helmet does seem to provide a greater buffer area around the cyclist but I agree it would probably have issues with any head movement.
Edsonytic wrote:
I used a laser-equiped back light for some time (https://www.amazon.com.mx/gp/product/B071NDZHY4/).
Unfortunately the lasers on it are projected just a few cm wider than the bike itself. It meant that even though most drivers did leave more space, some others passed me just by the edge of the light and thus very close to hitting me.
That’s a similar experince to what some report on narrow paint-only cycle lanes.
This helmet does seem to provide a greater buffer area around the cyclist but I agree it would probably have issues with any head movement.— RobD
To address your concern, the laser is only turned on when you speed is above a certain threshold. when cycling at high speed, head movement is both rare and quick, and therefore laser distraction is very low.
driver, “Blo*** hell, what’s
driver, “Blo*** hell, what’s that in the road?” Crash. Also not to be worn near airports.
Absolutely stupid idea, turn
Absolutely stupid idea, turn your head and nail everyone in the eye with a laser beam. Next!
Goldfever4 wrote:
Hi, just to clarify
the laser is only turned on when you speed is above a certain threshold. when cycling at high speed, head movement is both rare and quick, and therefore laser distraction is very low.
BeaconHelmet wrote:
Speak for yourself, I personally like to check behind me no matter what speed I’m doing because I don’t want to die.
Your product appears to be ridiculously flawed but more importantly dangerous and I hope one never comes anywhere near me.
More cheese Gromit?
More cheese Gromit?
I guess if you put some
I guess if you put some crusty bacon on your helmet you will receive less attention than with this beacon helmet.
Ban lasers on the road IMO ..
Ban lasers on the road IMO … At any speed
can I have the one with
can I have the one with phasers and photon torpeoes… a lazer just doesn’t cut it.
“I want sharks. Sharks with
“I want sharks. Sharks with frickin’ lasers on their heads!”
It should be banned.
It should be banned.
It creats danger for the other cyclists when you see green laser graphics dancing left and right of you and can cause you to try to doge them and in turn maybe cause accidents.
On a bike is already not the best solution but on a helmet is just plain daft.
I look over my shoulder even when I am traveling at full speed especially knowingly racing with other cyclists or even just to check if any cars behind me while over taking and I will be beaming the laser at people in the car or whoever is in the path of my gaze.
Once again the onus is on
Once again the onus is on cyclists to provide for their own protection, while drivers get a pass.
I’ve heard:
I’ve heard:
The laser is only turned on when you speed is above a certain threshold. when cycling at high speed, head movement is both rare and quick, and therefore laser distraction is very low.
But I’m not sure how true it is, if only a company rep was reading and could clarify…
When I read the headline, I
When I read the headline, I thought “at last, parity between drivers and cyclists.” The drivers have a ton of metal and plastic that can kill, and cyclists should be equipped with lasers to slice cars, and their occupants, in half; balance!
To be serious for a moment, self preservation is extremely powerful, and if drivers thought that you could slice them up with a laser, they would give you much more respect. Of course it all falls down because the laser, which as far as I know hasn’t killed anyone, would be banned, while cars, which kill thousands every year, is entirely legal, and you don’t even have to pay attention while you drive, even though a moment’s inattention could result in death. How many times have drivers escaped conviction because they said they didn’t see someone, a clear admission that they weren’t looking and weren’t driving carefully.
“weighs 400g.”
“weighs 400g.“
Are you fuking kidding me? there no way I would wear that shiz tons of heavy stone on atop of my head.
NO thanks.
Altimis wrote:
Personally, I found the £249 price tag way more disturbing…
So you need to have a phone
So you need to have a phone app draining your battery while you ride? That’s a quality design decision right there.
Please stop designing and making techno-trinkets like this. They slowly kill cycling. The idea that everyone should pretend to be a motor vehicle is ridiculous and just gradually marginalises what should be a hugely accessible form of transport.
Except of course that you stop with the motor vehicle comparisons by disadvising users from listening to music on the supposed grounds of distraction—yet I’m willing to bet a pile of cash that you listen to music while driving a car, or at the very least that you’ve never in your life suggested to a driver that they shouldn’t turn the stereo on.
Proposing that people pay £250 to stick nearly half a kilo of batteries and lights on their head as some sort of amulet to defend against the people who—according to your views on music—you’re happy to accept as being distracted while in charge of the sort of vehicles that stand to kill the hat-wearer, is frankly contemptible.
You’re not solving anything. You’re part of the problem.
http://singletrackworld.com/2015/02/bez-the-wedge/
Bez wrote:
Indeed. It just becomes an arms race – to the bottom, for the rest of us.
A lack of helmet and hi-viz is already referred to in court cases, even though there is no legal requirement for either and muddy evidence regarding the efficacy of both.
That’s worth repeating: defence lawyers already use the victim-blaming line regarding cyclist deaths, in an attempt to mitigate for their clients’ actions. Cyclist ‘PPE’ is already a mess of bad science and ideology. Stuff like this adds to that noise.
Bez wrote:
Indeed
I thinks the sales figures will prove just how useful or not people find this in the real world. Like many other products similar to this I don’t expect to hear much about it again.
Looks like Tron for cyclists.
Looks like Tron for cyclists.
I want one – but only if it
I want one – but only if it can do this
Front Laser will be turned off once head movement is detected.
The front laser is very carefully limited by both speed and monitoring your head movement. Any sudden movement or turning will trigger a shut-down of the laser.
So if you’re looking around
So if you’re looking around then the laser doesn’t do anything? Brilliant. It’s like you looked at the Blaze Laserlight and went, “hey, why don’t we make something vaguely similar but with a truckload of additional design flaws, and sell it for twice the price?”
Looks like the Kickstarter
Looks like the Kickstarter campaign has been pulled.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/beaconhelmet/beacon-helmet-with-three-laser-lights-and-so-much/description
schlepcycling wrote:
we just killed a dream!
beezus fufoon wrote:
I hope it was us, but I suspect it might have been Blaze with their patented trademark copyright.
I looked into their website
I looked into their website and I don’t think the front laser will dazzle other road-user as it is quite smartly controlled: It’d shut down smartly whenever your head moves too fast. And it’ll be only triggered by a high speed threshold. Overall, it’s a great concept / product and people may like it a lot.
Regarding the patent, one of their granted patents (EP2284069 ) on their website clearly grants them the legal right to integrate laser onto a helmet. This patent in fact also give them the right to make handle-bar mounted laser light if you look at all its claims. Blaze may be in trouble now as this patent was granted much earlier than Blaze’s patent which may lose easily in case of a law suit.
Cyclist-lawyer-burgerlover
Really…
Love it.
Love it.
Any other jenyoowine cyclists/patent experts want to debut on this thread?