The Livall Bling Helmet set out on fundraising website Indiegogo to bring a smart cycling helmet with integrated communications, music and lighting for the unified purpose of safe biking. Within one month, the helmet raised $207,708, surpassing its $20,000 goal by 1,039 percent as of September 14.
Intricate design elements are no doubt the cause of its success. Elements such as built-in Hi-Fi Bluetooth speakers and microphone allow riders to make and answer calls without removing their hands from the bars and eyes from the road. For rider-to-rider communication, a walkie-talkie feature was added, which serves the dual function of converting texts to audio messages.
The helmet’s Indiegogo page adds that the gear is given a brain, if you will, in its Livall Riding App. The app acts as an emergency lifeline, sending alert messages to programed contacts in the event of a crash. And what takes the Riding App feature to a new height is the fact that riders won’t have to say or do anything to activate the emergency request. Instead of dialing or requesting help, a built-in 3-Acis Gravity Sensor does the work for you, detecting a strike based on impact.
Apart from its potentially life-saving function, the app is able to sync with other smart wearable devices, like watches, pedometers and smartphones, working to play music, take photos and videos, and share your ride with Twitter, Facebook and Instagram friends.
In an effort to stand out among traffic, Livall Bling is packed with 80 LED lights on the top and back, with remote control turn signals. What Livall is calling, “the world’s smallest nano cadence sensor,” joins the feature well, tracking everything from speed, distance and calories. Another detail is a phone holder with internal power bank battery.
But why all the bells and whistles? “I’m passionate about bikes,” said Livall Founder and CEO Brian Zheng. “And I believe that many cycling fans, like me, enjoy the cycling experience most when shared with others.”
