[Kernel Panic 3.0] Sensors for the win!

Applying for: This is intense!

From the start our goal was to make a smart cycling helmet, the SmartHjelm. And to make a smart helmet, you need sensors. The more sensors the better! At the moment we are utilising 7 different sensors for a complete SmartHjelm experience: camera, microphone, accelerometer, temperature sensor, pressure sensor, humidity sensor, and a GPS-sensor!

Camera and microphone

To provide the wearer of SmartHjelm with a rear view through our mobile app, we have mounted a camera at the rear of our helmet. The camera streams a live feed to the mobile app.

Demonstration of our rear view camera.

The microphone is used to communicate with Google Assistant. Just say “Hey Google”, Google in its infinite wisdom will reply.

Trusty Raspberry Pi Camera ❤️
Cheapest USB microphone from Kjell & Company

Sense HAT sensors

On our Raspberry Pi we have mounted a Sense HAT, which has a whole range of useful sensors. The accelerometer is used to activate the automatic break light as shown in the video below.

Our automatic breaking light, enabled by the accelerometer.

The pressure sensor lets the wearer know if he/she should be careful because of little oxygen reply if biking at high altitudes, while the humidity sensor lets the user know if he/should be careful to drink extra liquids. The temperature sensor is too close to the Raspberry Pi to measure the air temperature, so it rather measures the temperature, and thereby its own health. These weather sensors are shown in our dashboard that is under development.

Our Kibana dashboard showing the sensor data. Looks like we are close to Holmenkollen, and that our Raspberry Pi is very hot right now. It is working hard the poor thing.

GPS

The GPS provides us with location data. It tells us where we are, as shown on the map in our dashboard above, and also the speed. And from the location we get the local weather, to let the wearer of SmartHjelm know if it is hot or cold through our mobile app. Sensors make life so much better!

USB GPS mounted at the top of the helmet

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