This motorcycle helmet was heavily altered to accept all of the hardware that goes into driving that huge array of LEDs. [Brian Cardellini] built it to wear at burning man. He claims to have been in over his head with the project, but we certainly don’t get that feeling when we see the thing in action. It’s light on build details, but there are plenty of demo shots in the video after the break. The animation and fading action really gets started about a minute and a half into it.
One of the early frames of the video is a shot of the parts order webpage. Since it’s an HD clip we were able to glean a few bits and pieces from that. It includes a MAX7219 LED Display Driver and fifteen 25-packs of Blue LEDs. Now that chip is a great choice, and one of the later shots shows two of them on breakout board driven by an Arduino. The look is very clean since he carved out most of the helmet’s padding to make room for the electronics.
[via Adafruit]
daft punk called, they wanted to talk about commissioning some new helmets.
I’m sure they’d happily fly him halfway around the world to do so.
Maybe, but this guy would have to work really hard to make it any faster.
Should have used a Pro Mini Arduino and a pair of Centipede boards to save on weight and size.
Actually MAX7219 gives the ability to drive 64 leds with a single resistor. With Centipede boards, you’ll have to use a big shield-board and add 64 resistors.
With all SMD parts and some routing skills, it would have been possible to fit everithing on a board smaller than a credit card but I don’t think the creator of this helmet has these skills.
Anyway, that’s a great job and with a version 2, it would be possible to leave as much foam as possible.
http://www.adafruit.com/products/453
Not bad! Anybody have it in shield form with trim pots?
Absolutely awesome. I love it! And the video presentation is top notch too. ;)
OMG! I totally agree! Excellent project, very well done and amazing video. Kudos!!!
Agree. Just simply brilliantly awesome
Hope he doesn’t plan on it holding up in a wreck. Actually, I hope he doesn’t plan on wearing it while riding at all.
In his comments on youtube he notes that it is not suitable for riding and notes that much of the foam had to be removed to make room for the electronics. I believe the quote is “For protection you’d be better off wearing no helmet than wearing this”. Not to mention that the police have a big issue with people with blue lights other than them.
Screw Burning Man, I’ed wear that riding my bike every day! And Thopter, its worth a massive brain injury to look THAT COOL!
+1
That’s the whole point of bikes to begin with…sure I might die, but I’ll look cool while doing it.
Very cool build…moto pigs should wear them with half the LEDs red. Oh wait, the pigs don’t wear helmets because they don’t have to worry about getting fines.
C’mon, calling police officers pigs is pretty inappropriate.
“That’s the whole point of bikes to begin with”
you know nothing at all about motorcycles. The whole point about bikes is the rush of freedom it gives you. If you are riding to “look cool” please stop now as you are one of those dorks that ride for the fashon show and not for the real reason.
Every one I’ve seen has hardly an inch of skin showing. It’s all padding and helmet. These guys take it seriously around here.
fab using surface mount leds on the outside of the helmet. safe to ride and if done right you can sell them and make millions1
exactly what I thought.
Glue the smd leds on the helmet, use small magnet wire to link them all and finish with a nice paintjob and varnish to hide the connections.
There you go.
hint: conductive paint
As others have said, it certainly isn’t safe, and theres no way it could ever be road legal with it causing such a distraction to other drivers.
I love it though. I would like to build one with RGB LED’s so it can achieve many colors.
I bet that the electronics could be sized down quite a bit.
Hell, instead of drilling holes for the LED’s, just use some SMD LED’s and then lacquer over the entire thing and then you wont lose the integrity of the helmet.
It would still be a distraction to other drivers, and if you have to choose between crashing with a helmet or not crashing without a helmet, the later option is better.
The thing can be turned off. So use it as a true helmet when riding then turn on the bling when at a rave :D
Actually, that WOULD affect the integrity of the helmet. Helmets are actually DESIGNED to break, so as to absorb the impact of your head hitting the ground. If you lacquer it, you will increase the point at which it breaks and possibly severely reduce the safety it provides.
I think you grossly overestimate the strength of lacquer.
Yeah, I’m not talking about a 1/4″ thick of lacquer, I’m thinking more of just a slight glaze to keep the components in place. No matter what, it is certainly a lot better than drilling a couple hundred holes in the helmet.
And yes, I understand how helmets are supposed to work. I rode dirtbikes for many many years and have been in quite a few crappy accidents.
REally? are you using that kryptonite lacquer? Because people PAINT their helmets every hour with that magical Lacquer you talk about and dont have safety problems.
And if you think they are designed to break, again you know absolutely nothing at all about how a helmet works.
The helmets are designed to absorb the impact and energy, and so they are meant to break if there was enough energy that would otherwise cause damage to your skull. They have been designing them like that for as far back as I can remember, which is about 25 years.
This is beautiful! The vid was awesome as well. Great job man!
Even unlit the helmet looks petty cool, almost like it is studded. Good project.
Wear that while riding and you’ll have achieved donorcycle +10. ;)
“It includes a MAX7219 LED Display Driver and fifteen 25-packs of Blue LEDs.”
It looks like there are 32 columns with 8 rows on each, so it seems there are “only” 256 leds and so 4 MAX7219.
Not sur the quantities are correct on the webpage shown.
Ten years ago I made a cool helmet for Burning Man with *Real*Neon*!! Geez it was bright (which is what I wanted). LEDs then weren’t what they are today and EL wire just isn’t very bright.
The rechargeable battery I used was only good for 2-3 hours so I had to carry charged-up spares on my treks around the playa.
Details please?! Sounds great!
Absolutely amazing work on the helmet and the video. Don’t go rbg led’s that would just look tacky, the blue only is perfect
My opinion is that RGB LED’s would be awesome, then you can do any color you’d like… even blue. :P
There are also those helmet that have mohawks on them, how about make a mohawk out of fiber optics with RGB LED’s changing the color, that would be rather kick ass. :D
This project gives me so many kickass ideas, but too back I don’t ride motorcycles or dirtbikes anymore :(
http://hackaday.com/2011/09/01/awesome-fiber-optic-led-viking-helmet/
Hell yeah. Thats what I’m talking about.
he needs to figure out how to do this with all SMT devices and outside the helmet. If he can do that and keepthe DOT safety rating, I know a LOT of riders that would pay $1000 for this helmet if it was still safe and did that.
Yeah, if he markets it as “Safe for riding in the dark” — so others can see you.
RGB LEDs, an accelerometer, and wireless connection to the bike.
Rear brake light when You use the brakes, turn signals even when You turn Your head [brake light down the middle]. Just shield from the riders vision when it shifts as they look over their shoulders.
Specialise the wireless connect for pillion or side-car configurations.
Awesome Build Video, possibly the best ever. Great work on the Helmet. I’m going to ask my friend if she saw you.
Wow, just found this. Thanks everyone!! Yeah four 7219’s, 32 columns, 8 rows. 244 LEDs total (the rest for testing/spares), 6 eneloop AAs, lots of fun to build, program, and wear. :)
Yeah, I was not far from the real quantities ^_^
Awesome project. Looks very professional. I’m glad you’re using MAX7219 – that is my product line – I work at Maxim. We have many chips that can cascade using SPI format. I built a 60 LED matrix for the back of a motorcycle using an Arduino and 4x MAX6965s – they can drive a lot of current.
Awesome build ! Must attract some spectators I guess.
Btw, the Max7219 is a giveaway at dx.com : http://dx.com/p/diy-max7219-dot-matrix-display-module-for-arduino-green-151840?item=1
Have fun !
Nice work…obviously not for riding, but nicely done.
I’ll just leave this here for further inspiration : squarepusher : dark steering
For my LED matrix needs, I use CPLDs driving MOSFETs to get virtually unlimited PWM channels.
Nice helmet! I wish we have it also in our store. Pretty cool to use for a ride!
How can I get one?
How can I buy this?
How can I buy this like today right now ??
The Helmet what appropriate title anyone that drills 64 holes in a crash helmet is a fooookin helmet come on its all about safety maybe the leds are so when you crash and your helmet falls to bits they will find it easier to put your head back together.And even if it was just for fun its the internet and some fool will try and make it like the ATEAM then put it on his head then straight out on his or her motorbike it not going to end good.
Great design! But, are you sure it can protecting you from motorcycle accident?