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Hammerhead - Bike Navigation System

Posted: October 29, 2013
$85
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Shark Week loyalists already know that the hammerhead group boasts enhanced sensory receptors and maneuvering skills. Plus, its butt ugly face, which looks to have been on the receiving end of a Bugs Bunny self-defense effort, evolved as such to expand its vision to 360 degrees in the up-down direction. Combined with the fact that many cyclists wear fruity outfits that make them look like they should be living underwater--or at least out of the immediate view of normal members of society--I'd say that Hammerhead is an apt name for one of the latest and most adept navigation tools for bikes.

Oh. And I guess the physical Hammerhead device is kind of shaped like its namesake's face too.

Instead of merely feeding riders basic GPS directions--information that requires regular bouts of eyes-off-the-road to take in worded descriptions and images of turns, streets, and mileage, Hammerhead distills navigation cues into a system of flashing lights visible out of cyclists' periphery. Clear signals appearing at points along the Hammerhead mirror those used to direct race car drivers and fighter pilots, and minimize distractions during rides.

In addition, the Hammerhead app was designed not just to guide riders from A to B, but to designate bike-friendly routes, either in terms of safety, interest, or exercise. Users select routes from the app based on preferences of hills, distance, scenery, or difficulty, and the corresponding turn-by-turn instructions appear. Hammerhead also accepts input from Strava, MapMyRide, and other biking apps available, as well as allows uploads of cyclists' own favorite rides to the Hammerhead community pool.

While in use, the Hammerhead app can track start, end, and goal speeds for each moment in a segment to assist with real-time competition. It can also direct riders to their friends or groups already on the road to preclude cumbersome coordination of waits at meeting locations.

At printing, Hammerhead systems were available for pre-oder, with delivery beginning in June 2014.

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