We’re not sure if you recall, but a few years back when the first GPS units started rolling out for cars, there was a point where you could actually feel the air pressure rise as directionally-challenged motorists across the globe breathed a collective sigh of relief. With this new technology, suddenly the days of splaying tattered atlases across the steering wheel and stopping to ask gas station attendants for directions were a thing of the past. From that day forward it was smooth sailing.
Unfortunately, those of us who happen to rely on pedal power to get around don’t have it quite so easy. Navigation on bikes is still somewhat tricky. Sure, there are dozens of great GPS apps available to anyone with a smartphone. But if you’ve ever ridden on two wheels before, you know that gawking at your phone while you ride is basically like asking to get flattened by a double decker or go ass-over-teakettle as you roll over a sewer grate. We’ve got all this futuristic navigation tech at our disposal, but still no streamlined way to use it on our bikes.
A NYC-based startup by the name of Hammerhead Navigation is hoping to change all that with a clever new bike accessory. The device, called the Hammerhead, is a T-shaped (hammer shaped?) GPS device that mounts on your handlebars. It’s designed to give you hands-free turn-by-turn directions – but here’s the kicker: none of the GPS technology is actually housed inside the device itself. Instead, Hammerhead works by relaying positioning data from your smartphone and displaying it in a simple visual readout made up of LEDs.
The signals are incredibly basic, so they allow you to process the information at a glance without diverting your attention away from the road for more than a split second. The light strip in the middle grows smaller as you get closer to your next turn, and blue lights on the left or right will sweep to indicate what direction to go. In addition to giving you directions, the device also doubles as a headlight and turn signal. Pretty sweet, right?
Well, it gets even better. Hammerhead has less than 20 days left in its crowdfunding campaign, so to sweeten the deal and attract more backers, the company has recently announced new early bird offers. For just a $68 dollar pledge you can be one of the first people to get the device next year, when Hammerhead expects to finish production. Considering the fact that these badboys will retail for $100 after the project ends, that’s one hell of a deal.
Find out more on Hammerhead’s campaign page on DrgaonInnovation.
