EYE Cycle Helmet

FSW were approached by Arenberg in 2016 to develop the EYE cycle helmet from a set of initial sketch concepts. We embarked on a detailed development process which aimed to progress the helmet to a prototype stage, whereby the overall form and appearance of the helmet was established and the crash performance of the helmet was quantified. Working with crash testing and impact simulation specialists, a detailed CAD model of the helmet was produced. To support Arenberg in acquiring funding to move the project to the next stage, marketing materials such as high quality product renderings and animations were produced. A high fidelity CNC-machined initial prototype helmet was also created to assess the design in detail and provide a physical sample for photography.

A high performance cycle helmet with an integrated video capture system, the EYE helmet is a stylish combination of exciting visual design, low weight construction and innovative wearable technology. The helmet presents a lightweight and comfortable solution to capturing in-ride video footage. This is in contrast to traditional cycling camera systems, which require cumbersome mounting brackets and bulky recording equipment which must be attached to the users’ helmet. With a compact, integral camera, the EYE helmet provides a far safer and more seamless solution. Licensed MIPS® brain protection technology further enchnaces the helmets’ safety, shielding the users’ head against torsional forces which occur during an impact.

The high quality video recording system is mounted discreetly at the front of the helmet and allows the user to capture point-of-view video footage which is saved to an onboard SD memory card. Alternatively, footage can be live-streamed via a tie-in smartphone application. Image stabilisation technology ensures that captured footage is smooth and free of vibration. Operation of the camera system is achieved via a set of tactile buttons positioned at the rear of the helmet. These allow the user to start and stop video capture, or create a single image snapshot.

Despite the integration of a full video recording system, the helmet achieves a race-worthy overall weight, with the electronics only adding an additional 100 grams to the product. Through careful positioning of the camera, PCB and battery to the front and rear of the helmet, optimum balance is achieved.