Networked masks set to revolutionise skiing
Worthy of a James Bond gadget, these large ski goggles are equipped with an integrated screen in the bottom-right of the view that relays information sent by Bluetooth, WiFi and GPS.
Sensors measure not only altitude and the gradient of the slope, but also distance covered, temperature, speed and the height of any jumps.
To really impress your friends, these networked skiiers can also download their data once they are back at their lodge, allowing them to compare performances and analyse data.
In addition - by connecting through their mobile phones - the goggles can also locate other wearers on the slopes, share text messages and take incoming calls that flash up on the screen.
A remote control, worn like a large watch, also allows wearers to flick through their music collection.
"It's like being in the future," Damien Chaussin, owner of the shop "L'Oeil du Mont Blanc" at Chamonix, told AFP.
He added that the idea is very cool, it is the future, but there is currently still a price barrier.
Expensive
Indeed, the goggles will still set you back about €650 - the same as an excellent snowboard or pair of touring skis.
They attract buyers, according to several vendors who spoke to AFP, who tend to be over-30s and a little "geeky" and "narcissistic".
The cost is not surprising given that the parts alone cost around €400, according to Recon, the Canadian company that sells the technology to goggle-makers such as Smith, Oakley and Zeal.
"The price is not likely to change next season," said Sylvain Faivre, head of marketing at Smith France.
The American brand said it had sold around 700 of the networked ski-masks in Europe in 2013 - around 200 of them in France.
The market is currently held back by both cost and the limited number of units delivered to stores, and will evolve gradually but not in big volumes, Faivre said.
Weight and size
Users are still put off by the extra weight of the mask, especially when a camera is incorporated. Others have suggested a better-positioned screen, as the current version requires users to look down as though at a car dashboard.
According to Recon there has also been disappointment that a planned project in the popular Three Valleys ski resort in the Savoie region of the French Alps - which would have given users of the mask a wealth of information on its tracks in real-time - is currently on stand-by due to a technical problem.
"Nonetheless, it is only a matter of time before these technologies take off," said Thierry Penet, of Paris-based Laster Technologies, which specialises in digital display technologies in medical, aerospace and military sectors.
"For two years, manufacturers have realised the potential uses for this type of technology in sport. Right now, we are only at the start of this type of usage but we must prepare ourselves for the emergence of a mass market," he said.
Source: AFP via I-Net Bridge
Source: I-Net Bridge
For more than two decades, I-Net Bridge has been one of South Africa’s preferred electronic providers of innovative solutions, data of the highest calibre, reliable platforms and excellent supporting systems. Our products include workstations, web applications and data feeds packaged with in-depth news and powerful analytical tools empowering clients to make meaningful decisions.
We pride ourselves on our wide variety of in-house skills, encompassing multiple platforms and applications. These skills enable us to not only function as a first class facility, but also design, implement and support all our client needs at a level that confirms I-Net Bridge a leader in its field.
Go to: http://www.inet.co.za
