Cycling helmets with an integrated light are nothing new, but like all battery-powered devices, they were only ever useful if you remembered to charge them up before heading out. Not so with the POC Sports Omne Eternal, a cycling helmet with a built-in LED light that never needs to be plugged in or have a battery replaced in order for it to work.
The Omne Eternal is the result of a partnership between POC — a Swedish cycling accessory maker — and solar power experts Exeger, and is being billed as one of the world’s first “self-powered” cycling helmets. By integrating Exeger’s special Powerfoyle solar cells into the structure of the helmet, it constantly pulls in light from any source, indoor or outdoor, to power up the LED on the back of the helmet. Sensors inside the helmet recognize when you put the helmet on, and activate the light for you. Take the helmet off, and the light goes out.
That’s right, the helmet doesn’t need charging, and has no batteries to replace, no proprietary charging cables to lose, and no on/off switch. It’s simply always ready to go. POC’s experience with cycling safely equipment means that despite the integrated electronics, protection has not been compromised, the ventilation is effective, and it’s still light enough to wear for long periods. The wear sensors are designed to work even if you’re wearing a hat under the helmet.
It’s recommended that the helmet is exposed to some kind of light source for an hour each day, and the sensors are weatherproof, so it can be worn in bright sunshine or the freezing cold. While they’re unaffected by rain, snow, and even scratches, they just need to be kept clean. That’s about all the general upkeep the Omne Eternal requires, making it easy to live with.
Designed to increase rider visibility in difficult conditions, in traffic, or at night, the Omne Eternal has a single LED light on the back, which flashes to attract further attention. It’s quite small, though, and of course should not be considered a replacement for bike lights or reflective clothing. It’s not quite as smart as some of the alternatives out there either, such as the Lumos range of cycling helmets, but the convenience factor makes it stand out.
The Omne Eternal will arrive in Europe in May on POC Sports’s website and cost 250 euros, or about $300 U.S. It’ll go on to be available globally at the end of the year. The first versions will meet European Union safety and consumer electronic standards, and the global version will meet further local market standards as well.
The OnePlus Buds Clip are a new pair of open-ear earbuds built around a simple convenience. They join Sony’s LinkBuds Clip in the growing ear-cuff category, but either OnePlus bud can go on either ear.
Sensors recognize how the earbuds are being worn and route the audio channels accordingly. There’s no label to check before putting them on, and the feature also works when only one bud is used.
We buy fitness bands and activity trackers to keep tabs on our exercise, but it is easy to forget to start tracking or switch modes when moving between different activities. For Fitbit and Pixel Watch users, that could soon become a lot less annoying, as Google is rolling out a major upgrade to automatic activity tracking that can recognize more than 100 types of exercise, up from just 10 before.
Google first showed off the improved tracking earlier this month alongside the Fitbit Edge. It is now coming to Fitbit Air and the Pixel Watch 3, 4, and 5, and Google claims the added context behind the system makes workout detection nearly twice as accurate while cutting missed activities by more than half. Fitbit Edge will support it too.