Gizmo that automatically sends your location to emergency services

[benb]

If this works properly, I think it could be a great idea, especially for cyclists in rural areas.

Basically, if it detects a crash it starts a timer on your phone that, if you don't cancel it, will automatically send your GPS co-ordinates to the emergency services. Intriguing.

http://road.cc/content/news/67049-icedot-crash-sensor-helmet-mounted-sensor-could-save-your-life

 

[Rob3rt]

Sound's ok in principal, but tbh, it would likely cause more trouble than it is worth. You would have to think "phone" straight after the crash to stop the timer. Usually I think, BIKE!!!!!! Then, oh fark where is that blood coming from. Then there are those times it may come back with a false detection which you don't know about and continue riding.

It would have to be very discerning to be useful.

 

[benb]

Sound's ok in principal, but tbh, it would likely cause more trouble than it is worth. You would have to think "phone" straight after the crash to stop the timer. Usually I think, BIKE!!!!!! Then, oh f*** where is that blood coming from. Then there are those times it may come back with a false detection which you don't know about and continue riding.

It would have the be very discerning to be useful.

Yes, plenty of technical issues to solve, but the idea is really interesting.

 

[Rob3rt]

There are watches that when you remove a certain part, send out a signal. These are for use at sea or climbing etc. If it is a genuine emergency the manufacturer will replace the unit, if it is a false alarm you will be left paying an unpleasant bill.

This differs in that it auto detects, but at the same time, it relies on a connection to a mobile device which could drop out, or the phone could fail etc. The phone could even be damaged in the crash. I think it would have to be a standalone unit to be particularly useful.

 

[mangaman]

Yes, plenty of technical issues to solve, but the idea is really interesting.

I agree - nice idea, but falls down due to relying on the smartphone.

Often you would be in a place with no phone signal
The battery life with GPS enabled is pretty short on most phones
The phone may break
The phone may be an iphone 5 with a map that sends the ambulance to a random location

Seriously - it would work if a proper GPS unit were to be built into the helmet device.

It would be expensive though, but potentially worth it.

 

[subaqua]

There are watches that when you remove a certain part, send out a signal. These are for use at sea or climbing etc. If it is a genuine emergency the manufacturer will replace the unit, if it is a false alarm you will be left paying an unpleasant bill.

This differs in that it auto detects, but at the same time, it relies on a connection to a mobile device which could drop out, or the phone could fail etc. The phone could even be damaged in the crash. I think it would have to be a standalone unit to be particularly useful.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breitling_SA#Breitling_Emergency

I thought about one for when I am diving but at that price NO WAY

 

[phil_hg_uk]

There are watches that when you remove a certain part, send out a signal. These are for use at sea or climbing etc. If it is a genuine emergency the manufacturer will replace the unit, if it is a false alarm you will be left paying an unpleasant bill.

like this one a snip at £23,000

 

[Rob3rt]

I believe you can buy them cheaper (but still over £10-15k), but yes they are very expensive. As are many luxury watches (better investment than a car though). My comment was not meant to be a direct comparison between products, just the way in which they are triggered and that one is a self enclosed unit whereas the other relies on an auxiliary device and a wireless link.

 

[benb]

Yes, it relies on both a phone signal and a GPS, but it's still worth pursuing. There aren't that many places without a phone signal these days.

 

[Rob3rt]

And a bluetooth connection to the phone.

This product has the makings of another shoot kickstarter project that any dummy will back. Especially if they manage to associate it with an iPhone or iPad.

A farking cardboard box with the outline of a phone and a hole poked in the top that allowed you to "scan" documents (take a photo and convert to pdf - using other SOMEONE ELSES app) with your iPhone got backed! They even had a deluxe version, a cardboard box, with a hole in it, and a couple of LED's on it!

 

[theclaud]

Yes, it relies on both a phone signal and a GPS, but it's still worth pursuing. There aren't that many places without a phone signal these days.

There's Wales...

 

[jonny jeez]

What a great Idea.

 

[mangaman]

What a great Idea.

What, Wales?

 

[Theseus]

Would it be able to tell you if your helmet saved your life?

 

[Broughtonblue]

Having gone from an android app, to now using a garmin 800 I've often wondered if there is any way of getting your gps co-ordinates from your device in the event of an accident? Would be so much easier to give emergency services this than try and work out where you are when in unfamiliar places!