Video: Sony steps in to the ‘augmented reality’ helmet game – finally, this stuff’s getting serious

Sony steps in to the ‘augmented reality’ helmet game – finally, this stuff’s getting serious.

So, finally, one of the BIG electronics giants has stepped up to the plate to give us an augmented reality helmet. Well, in the pretty near future – it would seem.

This is the N-Com ARX. It’s a genuine, very real collaboration between Sony and Nolan. You can see how it looks and works in the video above. To be frank, after so many stop/start piles of nonsense and faff that we’ve seen so far in the ‘augmented reality’ helmet game we’ve pretty much stopped believing that this would happen at all. But with Sony getting involved in a very serious way, we’re properly buying into this (and kind of want this on our heads, right now).

Here’s the actual announcement that came direct from Nolan and Sony. it’s a bit waffly, but from it you get how serious both parties are in terms of getting this going properly…

N-Com ARX is a technologically innovative project developed by Nolangroup in collaboration with Sony, based on the concept of augmented reality, allowing motorcyclists to experience a new and absorbing travel experience. The helmet developed specially for N-Com ARX incorporates Sony’s unique holographic waveguide technology provided in form of optical module, that takes the light created in the optical engine and projects a virtual image through the holographic optical elements to the eyes of the wearer.

The interaction between the N-Com communication system integrated into the helmet with Sony’s optical module and the tailor-made Smartphone App allows the projection, via a heads-up display, of a hologram in the rider’s field of vision, thus supplying support information for safety and riding comfort.  The viewing of a range of useful and essential information on a see-through display, combined with audio indications, allows the rider to concentrate on driving.

Through an open-source platform, N-Com ARX offers possibilities for the development of applications for the projection of various types of information on a heads-up display.

This special prototype helmet created in collaboration with Sony is part of a development project for the N-Com brand for the near future: “This is innovation which we cannot market immediately, but it highlights the innovative drive which distinguishes the N-Com brand, part of the Group which is responsible for the development of communication systems” – stated Claudio Corollo N-Com Division Manager.

Corollo added: “Our prime objective remains the safety of our clients, but this kind of technology also represents the near future for motorcyclists and we definitely do not want to find ourselves unprepared”.

“It has been a pleasure to work with Nolangroup on building this Technology Demonstrator. At Sony we always aim to exceed market expectations and indeed we believe our hologram waveguide technology will bring about brand new experiences to the wearers and in this case the motorcyclists” said Hiroshi Mukawa, who leads the development of hologram waveguide technology as General Manager of SIG business department at Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation.