GPS-enabled helmet calls for help post-accident

We've seen some pretty well equipped helmets in our day, but UMass Amherst student Brycen Spencer seems a touch more interested in safety advancements than integrated speakers. His concoction, dubbed the Wireless Impact Guardian (WIG), looks like your average helmet at first glance, but a quick look inside reveals electronics designed to sense an impact, judge if you're conscious and dial for help if necessary. Essentially, an alarm is triggered upon impact, and if you're not cohesive enough to disable it after 60 seconds, it automatically rings up 911 and beams out your location via GPS so that medical personnel can get moving. Currently, the device is quite a ways from going commercial, but considering that Mr. Spencer has already invested in a provisional patent, we'd say it's well on its way.

[Via textually]

[derX @ Feb 11th 2008 2:20AM]

That's a good idea. It'd be a damn shame if it fell from high in someone's empty garage, setting off the alarm....

[Tom @ Feb 11th 2008 3:41AM]

No thanks. I already have my iphone.

[Ed @ Feb 11th 2008 4:50AM]

I don't know about you, but I can't get a GPS reading from inside of my garage. Not that it couldn't be designed to remember 'last available coordinate' - but once the design's taking that into account, I'd hope it would rule out sending a last available coordinate that was more than a few minutes old.

To be particularly effective, I'd think this gadget would sense location regularly and transmit after impact. The last thing it needs to be doing after a collision is looking for satellites.

Great invention.

[tasteomycheese @ Feb 11th 2008 2:20AM]

Is it me or does that guy have a freaky looking head?

[swmarc @ Feb 11th 2008 2:31AM]

mohawk?

[trevor @ Feb 11th 2008 2:38AM]

helmet hair?

[Superprime @ Feb 11th 2008 3:06AM]

Yep. Helmet heir

[Jeff @ Feb 11th 2008 11:02AM]

I think it's just a douchey haircut.

[euclid @ Feb 11th 2008 4:35AM]

Cool, now the clean-up crew can get to the splattered, mangled remains quicker and keep the traffic flowing smoothly.

[Johan S @ Feb 11th 2008 4:37AM]

They should make something like this, a strap or something worn as an armband or belt under clothing, for people who may need medical help or for kids in trouble. It can work by detecting traumatic vital signs.

[Tom Oliveri @ Feb 11th 2008 4:41AM]

i think when your airbags go off a GPS location signal should be sent out ( either emergency beakon style or via the gsm newtowk ) from your car...

[Tom Oliveri @ Feb 11th 2008 4:39AM]

next step: gps on all limbs so that they can all be located.

[Lee @ Feb 11th 2008 6:04AM]

As the ONLY Police Class 1 Motorcyclist to comment, the only thing that should be in a helmet is your head, anything else will crush your skull on impact no matter how much padding you put in it. My GPS systems are on my bike and in my tactical vest, both in reach jst in case I huigh side and end up nowhere near my ride.

[Gr1zz @ Feb 11th 2008 6:35AM]

It looks to mount to the outside. Maybe a thin speaker would go in.

[macona @ Feb 11th 2008 12:33PM]

Thats what I was thinking. If its mounted inside bad idea. If its mounted outside may get smashed.

They say you should buy a new helmet every two years or so. That could get expensive with this one.

Then there's batteries.. Oops! Forgot to charge my helmet!

Best bet is a system integrated into the bike.

[dajimmers @ Feb 11th 2008 7:27AM]

Does it also call organ procurement? Send your bone marrow type and the condition of your heart, lungs, and liver?

J/K, sounds like a good idea. This will be great for snowmobilers too- always hitting things in the middle of the woods where giving directions in a semi- or non-lucid state may be difficult...

[Mike @ Feb 11th 2008 8:48AM]

I believe the word you were looking for is "coherent" not "cohesive"...unless you're talking about how well your skull sticks together...

[xdriven @ Feb 11th 2008 12:26PM]

well, for a car there are blackboxes that record video, audio, & gps data in case of accidents.

http://www.rnyk.com/make-sure-youve-got-evidence-with-the-driver-recording-system/

[skulldriveshaft @ Feb 11th 2008 1:48PM]

RTOA people.

Nice idea, many uses, hope the kid makes it on the market.

[Chris @ Feb 11th 2008 4:10PM]

Its his hair...

But what a fantastic idea! I can see this becoming a cheap product come 5 years from now, saving countless lives!