Kickstarter has become ground zero for many next-gen gadgets, and the new helmet collab between JBL and LIVALL is no exception.
“Smart helmet” company LIVALL joined with the sound experts at JBL for a bike helmet full of special features. If you love to jam out to your favorite tunes while cycling, then the BH51M NSO helmet has a lot to offer.
The helmet collaboration launched on Kickstarter earlier this month. With a predictably low goal of $10,000, the helmet surpassed that quickly. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than 1,000 backers had pledged over $150,000.
The campaign ends Sept. 8, so there’s still plenty of time to buy one of these nifty helmets. As for features, the BH51M NSO offers a combination of fun music stuff and serious safety.
It has a “premium speaker system” from JBL, smart LED lighting, and an emergency SOS alert that can detect falls.
Helmet specs
Let’s start by looking at the sound system. It works for phone call, music and navigation, and LIVALL claims there’s “no better sounding bicycling helmet on the market today.”
LIVALL designed the helmet for use on bikes, scooters, or small electric vehicles. While the sound system will excite many, this is still a product meant primarily for protection.
As such, the helmet comes with automatic sensor lighting that turns on at night and off in the daytime. It also has “smart” LED turn signals and a built-in gravity acceleration sensor. That means the helmet automatically flips on the lights if it detects significant deceleration.
But the helmet’s fall detection system is perhaps the most interesting. In the event of a fall or accident, the helmet sends an SMS alert to preset emergency contacts. It takes 90 seconds after a fall for the helmet to send a GPS location to the rider’s preferred person or first responder.
Adjustable, lightweight and waterproof, LIVALL designed the BH51M NSO for long rides. It comes with 12 hours of battery life and an anti-loss alarm for to prevent theft.
Pricing and availability
For backers on Kickstarter, the BH51M NSO costs $130, which includes the helmet, a charging cable, and a remote controller. You can also buy two for $250. The helmets come in rock gray or starry black.
The Kickstarter campaign ends on Sept. 8. It’s unclear if LIVALL will offer the helmets online once the campaign is over.
