Bicycles

LED-laden bike helmet incorporates brake lights and turn indicators

LED-laden bike helmet incorporates brake lights and turn indicators
The Lumos features lights, turn signals and an automated brake light
The Lumos features lights, turn signals and an automated brake light
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Remotely controlled turn indicators are a feature of the Lumos bicycle helmet
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Remotely controlled turn indicators are a feature of the Lumos bicycle helmet
Illuminating controls for the turn indicators on the Lumos bicycle helmet
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Illuminating controls for the turn indicators on the Lumos bicycle helmet
Turn indicator controls can be easily attached to your bike's handlebars
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Turn indicator controls can be easily attached to your bike's handlebars
Looking sharp and safe at night with the Lumos bicycle helmet
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Looking sharp and safe at night with the Lumos bicycle helmet
The Lumos bicycle helmet is designed to enhance night riders' safety
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The Lumos bicycle helmet is designed to enhance night riders' safety
The Lumos bicycle helmet is designed to enhance night riders' safety
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The Lumos bicycle helmet is designed to enhance night riders' safety
The Lumos bicycle helmet shows off its Tron-like style
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The Lumos bicycle helmet shows off its Tron-like style
Staying visible at night is a breeze with the Lumos bicycle helmet
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Staying visible at night is a breeze with the Lumos bicycle helmet
Improved 360 degree rider safety with the Lumos bicycle helmet.
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Improved 360 degree rider safety with the Lumos bicycle helmet.
The Lumos bicycle helmet's LED lights shine bright even in dawn and dusk conditions.
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The Lumos bicycle helmet's LED lights shine bright even in dawn and dusk conditions.
The remote controlled turn indicators bring new levels of safety to the Lumos bicycle helmet.
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The remote controlled turn indicators bring new levels of safety to the Lumos bicycle helmet.
The Lumos features lights, turn signals and an automated brake light
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The Lumos features lights, turn signals and an automated brake light
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Bright LED turn signal lights are operated remotely on the Lumos bicycle helmet.
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Bright LED turn signal lights are operated remotely on the Lumos bicycle helmet.
Displaying the sleek, stylish lines of the Lumos bicycle helmet.
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Displaying the sleek, stylish lines of the Lumos bicycle helmet.
Bright LED turn signals can be viewed from the front and the rear on the Lumos bicycle helmet.
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Bright LED turn signals can be viewed from the front and the rear on the Lumos bicycle helmet.
A glimpse into the future of bicycle safety with the Lumos bicycle helmet.
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A glimpse into the future of bicycle safety with the Lumos bicycle helmet.
The Lumos bicycle helmet can be charged with ease thanks to its micro USB charging port.
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The Lumos bicycle helmet can be charged with ease thanks to its micro USB charging port.
The Lumos bicycle helmet is water resistant enough to get you home on those rainy days.
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The Lumos bicycle helmet is water resistant enough to get you home on those rainy days.
Bright LED brake lights are automated on the Lumos bicycle helmet thanks to its onboard accelerometer.
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Bright LED brake lights are automated on the Lumos bicycle helmet thanks to its onboard accelerometer.
Bright LED brake lights feature on the Lumos bicycle helmet.
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Bright LED brake lights feature on the Lumos bicycle helmet.
The white prototype of the Lumos bicycle helmet.
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The white prototype of the Lumos bicycle helmet.
White prototype of the The white prototype of the Lumos bicycle helmet with brake light and indicator illuminated.
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White prototype of the The white prototype of the Lumos bicycle helmet with brake light and indicator illuminated.
Top view of he white prototype of the Lumos bicycle helmet.
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Top view of he white prototype of the Lumos bicycle helmet.
View gallery - 24 images

We've seen attempts to improve the visibility of hand-signals, but Boston-based startup Lumos wants cyclists to use their heads when it comes to indicating turns. The company's high-tech bicycle helmet incorporates indicators, high-visibility LED lights and an automated brake light system in an effort to raise the bar on road safety.

Like the Torch T1, the bare-bones concept of this project is a bicycle helmet with lights, but Lumos founders Eu-wen Ding and Jeff Chen have taken things to the next level by putting the focus is on rider visibility and safety. Their prototype has an automated brake light which connects to an onboard accelerometer to alert drivers of your intent.

The remote controlled turn indicators bring new levels of safety to the Lumos bicycle helmet.
The remote controlled turn indicators bring new levels of safety to the Lumos bicycle helmet.

In addition, the helmet displays turn indicators on each side, which can be operated remotely from wireless transmitters on your handlebars. The switch on the handlebars illuminates and gives off a sound when the indicators are active, so the cyclist can avoid misleading signals.

Turn indicator controls can be easily attached to your bike's handlebars
Turn indicator controls can be easily attached to your bike's handlebars

The helmet and indicator controls are water resistant enough to get you home in the rain, and the helmet is powered by a 100 mAh battery that charges off a micro USB port in about 2.5 hours, so there’s no need for battery changes. According to the company, one charge should get you through a week if you use the helmet for 30 minutes each day.

Lumos says the helmet crash safety certification (CSPC in the United State and EN1078 in Europe) and it’s also a pretty smart looking lid – safety’s public image has certainly come a long way since the big foam buckets of the '80s.

The company is looking to bring the Lumos to market on the back of a Kickstarter campaign which has already well exceeded the goal of $125,000 on day one. Production is slated to commence in January 2016 and deliveries should get underway in April if all goes to plan. The retail price is projected to be around the $170 mark.

The Lumos' Kickstarter pitch can be seen below.

Source: Lumos

Lumos - A Next Generation Bicycle Helmet

View gallery - 24 images
6 comments
6 comments
Tom Lee Mullins
I think that would make riding a bike safer. It wold make them easier to see at night and avoid.
leafygreen
I can see the basic idea, but I'm a little concerned that drivers won't necessarily recognise the transition to brake light - especially if something goes wrong and only one side lights up.
And what price safety? - Certainly not $170.
Douglas Bennett Rogers
Could have used this in the 80's-90's when highway commuting. I was "all lit up like a Christmas tree" after being clipped by a right turner in the dawn twilight.
Kpar
Hope they use wide beam LEDs. I know my head moves through a wide range as I ride, and many LEDs are highly directional.
As far as charging the batteries, maybe we can go back to the wheel mounted generators- I still have one on my bike, for the halogen headlight (very effective).
Kevin Ritchey
Nice idea. I have a LED power strip on my motorcycle helmet that cost under $10 that's geared wirelessly to my brakelight. I think $170 is a bit much for a helmet that is already full of holes. You would require a hole in your head to pay $170 for this device. But, if you have money to burn...
JulianCharlesR
I like the idea and the implementation and don't think it is too pricey but when it rains, I put on a rain cover, my current one would block the lights. I think that a rain cover option needs to be considered.