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(http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/03/lifebeam-1362599605.jpg) (http://engadget.com/2013/03/06/lifebeam-heart-rate-helmet/)
Let's face it: heart monitors, whether strapped to our chests (http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/08/polar-and-nike-announce-wearlink-heart-rate-monitor-for-nike/) or mounted to the front of a treadmill, are an awful pain to use. But, those rate readouts can be quite useful while involved in any sort of physical activity, making them a necessary hindrance. A proposed "smart cycling helmet" from LifeBeam, a company best known for its defense products, would serve to simplify things a bit. The solution, which is based on physiological monitoring devices installed in some fighter pilot helmets, would instead serve consumers -- cyclists, specifically. LifeBeam will insert sensors within cycling headgear, letting you capture measurements as you pedal up hills and down city streets.
With included ANT+ (http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/27/new-ant-protocol/) and Bluetooth transmitters, the device, which weighs 50 grams and supports up to 15 hours of continuous usage, can feed data to a smartphone or sport watch, for example, letting you track your stats in realtime. LifeBeam has turned to Indiegogo to raise funds for the project, with limited "pre-order" pricing fixed at $149 for the first 200 helmets sold. From there, the price jumps to $189 -- helmets are expected to begin shipping in September of this year. Sound like a fit? Hit up the source link to help the team reach their $50,000 funding goal, or, if you still need a bit of convincing, you can check out the well-produced video embedded just past the break.
Filed under: Wearables (http://www.engadget.com/category/wearables/)
Comments (http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/06/lifebeam-heart-rate-helmet/#comments)
Via: TechCrunch (http://techcrunch.com/2013/03/06/lifebeam-brings-fighter-pilot-heart-monitoring-technology-to-your-bicycle-helmet/)
Source: LifeBeam (Indiegogo) (http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/320915/)
Via: Engadget