BRG Sports, parent company to helmet manufacturers Bell and Giro, and 360fly, manufacturers of single-lens 360-degree camera technology, have announced a formal partnership to develop a line of helmets that will feature 360fly’s stitchless, 360-degree video capture technology. A line of working prototypes for the powersports, cycling, and snow categories is set to be unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January, 2016.
As the partnership is with 360fly and BRG Sports, the video capture technology is being developed to suit a range of BRG’s brands, including Bell Helmets (powersports) and Giro (cycling). Through the use of the 360fly mobile app, video can be captured, edited and shared almost instantly, without the need to download and edit from a computer.
In the official press release, it was hinted that integrated video technology is just the first step towards the development of “smart” helmets that can incorporate a variety of features.
“Because our lens is seeing virtually everything in all directions, it allows us to develop and build in additional features that allow the helmet to literally communicate, delivering valuable information regarding the surrounding environment, navigation and other types of data relevant to the rider,” said Adderton. “Ultimately, the helmets will be much like today’s mobile devices, allowing users to enjoy incremental benefits and features through software updates.”
360fly cameras have been available to consumers since October, and can be purchased at Best Buy locations. Further details regarding the integrated helmet cameras will be released during CES.
See the videos below to see the 360fly in action. In the second video, swipe left, right, up, or down with your mouse to see different angles.