Its one thing to slap the “smart” label on ordinary things without giving them too much though, its another to actually build something that really does push the boundaries. The SKULLY AR-1 smart helmet fits the latter description. Its a vertically integrated smart HUD motorcycle helmet that features a heads-up display, GPS mapping features, a rear view camera and smartphone connectivity. Pre-orders for the helmet are now open although it costs significantly more than a conventional motorcyle helmet.
The heads-up display is placed outside the rider’s primary field of view and appears to be nearly six feet away. The picture-in-picture display is good for showing blind spot information, navigation and feed from a rear view camera that offers a 180 degree viewing angle. Smartphone connectivity provides the rider with voice control over music, calls and more. The battery is said to be good for nine hours and it can be charged via microUSB.
We had a chat with Dr. Marcus Weller, CEO, Founder of Skully.
When did you start developing the Skully helmet?
The first SKULLY prototype was built in early 2012 and announced at Demo 2013.
What is the total available market for this product?
Several million helmets are sold worldwide every year.
Did you get any funding ?
We are a privately held company.
Who are the founders?
Dr. Marcus Weller, CEO, Founder
Marcus attended the University of Minnesota, where he assisted research on Intelligent Transportation Systems and developed his lifelong passion for Human Factors Engineering and Industrial Psychology. After years of working in the automotive and semiconductor industries, a motorcycle accident inspired him to found SKULLY in 2013. Marcus holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Psychology and is a motorcycle fanatic with an obsession for human-centered technology and design.
Mitchell Weller, VP Business Operations, Co-Founder
Mitchell has shared his brother’s passion for motorcycling since before he can remember. This same passion eventually led him to join SKULLY in 2013 after holding Director positions in human resources, operations, and materials logistics. Mitchell served in the US Army, holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Minnesota, and enjoys getting his hands dirty working on motorcycles and cars.
With over twenty years of combined riding experience, the Weller brothers are deeply passionate about enhancing motorcycle safety through technology.
How is your team composed?
We have over a dozen hardware engineers, software engineers, and creatives with diverse backgrounds in engineering, business and marketing.
Do you have any patent?
We have a suite of IP that is growing every day.
Could the technology be applied to cars?
SKULLY Synapse can be applied widely across many verticals.
Pre-orders for the SKULLY AR-1 helmet are now being taken through Indiegogo. For the first 30 days the helmet can be pre-ordered at an introductory price of $1,399. Full retail price will be $1,499 with shipments expected in May 2015.
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