Helmets with Flexible Displays
What are Flexible Displays?
Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLED) displays have been used in technologies such as
- Televisions
Concept flexible display helmet - Mobile Phone displays
- PDA’s
- Digital cameras
Visionox
A helmet visor has an inner concave surface that is suited for a transparent flexible display for viewing relevant situational information.
How can a flexible display can be utilised in a helmet?
Military
- Mission instructions
- Potential target images
- Weather updates
- Weapon selection orders
Recreation
Motor racing helmets
- Lap information
- Track status
- Pit communications
Cycling helmets
- Maps
- Rear view display
Motorcycle helmets
- Maps
- Rear view display
- Speed & engine RPM
- Engine fault display
- Indicator feedback
Safety
Construction site
- Hazardous area identification
- Communications (video)
- Building plan viewing
How do flexible displays compare with previous technologies?
Previous versions of Helmet displays involved a projection onto the helmet screen. The new technology removes the need for a projector and puts the image directly on the helmet screen.
Bhattacharya (2011) provides useful review of flexible display technology. He points out that:
- OLEDs are lighter and are easy to make compared to LCD displays.
- By having a simpler structure compared to LCD screens they are cheaper to produce.
- The OLEDs do not need backlights and have minimal glare as they are non-reflective. As such they do not need constant refreshing, which cuts down on power needs and usefully reduces distraction while the user focuses on other objects.
Would a flexible display contribute towards existing business strategies of a helmet company?
To help answer this question I used a typical motorcycle helmet manufacturer Shoei as an example. Shoei’s business strategies are;
Product strategy
- To achieve expansion of profit specializing in and concentrating on high quality high value addition products. Production strategy
- To maintain superiority keeping high technologies and know-how confidential.
Marketing strategy
To achieve top share in every country in the world restructuring sales organizations mainly in growing European and American market. Shoei Premium Helmets Japan.
The addition of a flexible display to Shoei motorcycle helmets achieves its business strategies by;
- Flexible displays being an addition to the helmet range will add high quality and high value to the overall product.
Would helmets bennefit from the introduction of a New Technology?
Flexible displays would be a great contribution to the existing helmet ranges. As any helmet making manufacturer, or any business, wants to be on the lookout for the next best thing that could make them money, flexible displays could do that as they are still a helmet but they can do more than an ordinary helmet. For example, they have maps and rear view display.
With companies like SHOEI who makes the shell of its helmets from FRP (Fibre-reinforced Plastic) composed of special organic fibre, glass fibre and thermosetting plastic resin. Its production is realized by SHOEI's craftsmanship which is supported by skilled and superior works. In order to maintain its high quality SHOEI is doing all processes from shell moulding, painting to assembling and performing strict quality control in-house. With this kind of production line it would not be too difficult to add in an extra part of the production line to include flexible displays.
Companies like HJC, who in the fall of 2010, expanded its range with the introduction of RPS-10 full face helmet that features extremely lightweight shell, with patent pending centre locking mechanism, aerodynamics and comfort and is being worn by professional racers including 2011 Moto GP Factory Yamaha racer Ben Spies (2006, 2007, 2008 AMA Superbike Champion, 2009 World Superbike Champion).
This particular model showcased the technical capabilities and innovations such as our advanced ventilation channelling system and their unique composite shell designs which shows that if they were to introduce flexible displays into their helmets they would have some of the technology base to support it.
Why invest in flexible displays for helmets?
Sales for flexible displays will by far outgrow the display market in general, albeit from a much lower level. Display Search predicts a compound annual growth rate of 52% for the time frame between 2009 and 2018 for flexible displays. While the overall flat panel display market won't sport any growth at all through 2018, the market for flexible displays will zoom up with a growth of 58% annually Electronics-eetimes .
With a market acceptance of flexible displays and the predicted boom in flexible display technology, the technology does prove to fit within the business strategy.
Conclusion & Recommendations
Flexible displays are a newly developing technology that has emerged from over many years. Helmet displays have been used in fighter pilots helmets for years but in the form of a projected image. With new technology comes many issues that need to be resolved before a technology can be accepted and used. Some of the issues are regulatory, ethical and social.
Regulatory issues related to a flexible display in a helmet maybe vision, any vision impairment and may mean that the technology cannot be deemed safe to use.
Ethical issues may bring up questions about the effectiveness of the displays and whether they meet the needs of safety for the rider and the general population at large, with factors like the ability to multitask in a safe manner, and the use of software copyrights to run the visor display.
Social issues may be the acceptance of such a helmet into a workplace, socially or for any other application. A helmet with such capabilities may be seen as too different and not accepted because it’s a new way of doing things.
Recommendations
Production costs
Growing businesses may be in on the ground floor of developing flexible display technologies, but even more businesses will be affected when these devices reach the wider market. Expect advertising uses to be among the first to hit the mainstream. Mahon sees the production costs coming down considerably as the manufacturing process improves: "Twenty years from now, [it will be hard to] imagine the day that a display wasn't flexible." Flexible Display Technology | Microsoft Small Business Center
Trends have shown that similar technology such as LCD displays become cheaper as production processes become more efficient making this technology more feasible. So how do these LCD TV’s get cheaper and cheaper anyway? The simple answer can be found on the machines that make the display panels. As time goes by, the size of sheets of glass that the machines can produce as display panels keep getting bigger. This increase in size is the most significant driver of production cost for the flat panel displays. JoelolaveSocial
Motorcyclists are usually classified as independent, rebellious, free spirits. The idea of a GPS may not mesh well with the idea of the “open road,” and there is possibility for the project to not sell well with the majority of the motorcycle social group. Motorcycle Helmet GPS Heads-Up Display Trends are moving toward being more connected than ever, and with the need to have technology around us, a flexible visor display that can show maps may not indeed suit everyone but if a device is made that can make life easier than the technology will sell. The irony is that once, one could almost ignore technology—it was isolated, independent, and did not impose itself on most of our lives. Now, it permeates through networks and positive feedback. It is a part of all our lives. Technology is our culture. Five Major Trends Connected with Information TechnologyEthical
Due to the use of software from other companies, it will be necessary to ensure that no copyrights are violated. In addition, if the product were to go into production, issues would need to be addressed with software licenses Motorcycle Helmet GPS Heads-Up Display .With many companies producing quality software it won't be difficult to source new purpose written software that won't impede software licenses.Safety
It is important that safety is of high importance with helmet displays. Additionally, the heads-up display mount was attached to the outside of the helmet, so if the rider is in an accident, the heads-up display will not cause additional injury. The addition of the heads-up display must not reduce the safety features of the helmet, or the helmet will be rendered unsafe and illegal as it may not meet the laws of all states. Motorcycle Helmet GPS Heads-Up Display .Regulatory testing and approval will be different from country to country and will need to be tackled as the product is introduced. This technology can be seen as an addition to an existing helmet, from a business sense, it’s a way to enhance the final products sales and open doors to other markets. Flexible displays contributes to existing business strategies by adding value to the existing product, and with the expected boom in flexible displays, it should have an effect on the business profit. As far as a technology change within a business and accepting new technology there will always be resistance to change until the majority can see the greater good that can come from it