Apologies if this is not the right forum.
My idea is nothing new but has been on my mind for many years. In 2018 someone did create something similar that I am after (links below) and can see as of 2023 there is now a FIA “Drivers Eye” mounted in F1 helmets, which is more in line of what I was thinking.
I’ve never coded or used an SBC but want to make something similar, however rather than having the pi mounted inside the helmet, I want to have just the camera mounted inside the helmet (similar position to the F1 helmet) and have the pi it in a jacket pocket or mounted in a tank bag along with the battery bank / power supply, so all I would have to do is plug in the camera and power supply to the pi for it to then automatically boot and start recording and ride off.
My requirement is the same as Nicolashahn but would like plug and play camera with minimum 1080@30 (higher resolution and 60 FPS preferable) and mic as a nice to have.
I was thinking of using is a Pi Zero 2 W with a Arducam B0292 (4K 8MP IMX219 USB Camera) and looking to utilise as much as I can from Nicolashahn scripts, setup, and YouTube tutorials.
I am asking for your expertise on what hardware would be best suited for this application, if there is better way to set this up, a point in the right direction will be greatly appreciated.
In this case, I’d stick with a native Pi camera, as Nicholas’ scripts use libraries that refer to a Pi camera specifically, not just a generic linux video device.
The latest and greatest would be the Pi Camera 3, capable of 1080p50, and it comes in a wide-angle variant which seems most appropriate for dashcam-style use:
You’d probably want to keep the Pi on the helmet, though, as the ribbon cables used for the Pi cameras aren’t really meant to flex and stretch, so perhaps an extender and a flexible HDMI cable would be appropriate if you need to move it off the helmet: Raspberry Pi Camera HDMI Cable Extension | Pimoroni | Core Electronics Australia
As for power, I’d recommend a PiJuice Zero, rather than a USB battery pack, as it can do stuff like shut down the Pi cleanly (if a script is set up right, that means stop recording) when out of charge, rather than just cut off.
As an addition here, I did want to point out that Motorcycle helmet manufacturers have to follow pretty strict regulations in regard to structural integrity and in most states and territories, modifications to helmets can not only incur a fine but can be fairly dangerous if you get into an accident, as it may change the way the force plays on the structure of the helmet and anything the helmet contains.
Maybe there is a better solution for how to mount something like this that may be more appropriate to Australian standards. I am sure it can be used to make a front and rear camera that can be strapped to a motorcycle jacket, or even mounted on the bike itself? As long as it doesn’t make contact with the helmet itself, there shouldn’t be a problem.
Thank you for your prompt response and providing me with the details. I have some concerns about housing the Pi inside the helmet. Firstly, there is very little room in the style of helmet I have, and I don’t want the Pi to dislodge itself inside the helmet in the unlikely event of a crash. If it’s necessary to use alternative hardware and rewrite scripts to achieve the outcome of just mounting the camera inside, I am willing to do so with the help of resources like YouTube, the community, or Fiverr. Could you please recommend the hardware I should use for this purpose?
My goal is to house the camera in either the same location as F1, using a 3D printed mount or glue and stitch onto the padded liner, or replace the nose guard with a 3D printed mount to insert the camera in the same way as the nose guard between the liner and shell. Regarding the Pi Juice Zero, I will keep it in mind if I encounter any issues.
Greetings! I want to acknowledge that I understand and am aware of the issues and guides you mentioned. I have actually tried various options over the years. When mounting the camera to the jacket, there are limitations on the recording direction. I have tested this with both Go Pro and micro action cameras. Additionally, when assuming a tuck position while riding, the camera mostly captures the motorcycle tank, which is not ideal. Mounting the camera to a fixed position on the bike severely restricts the field of view and won’t capture footage from the left and right sides (unless I were to set up four cameras, but that would significantly increase costs).
My idea is to house the camera solely on the padded liner, with the cable running between the liner and down into the jacket. This approach ensures that no compromise is made to the integrity of the helmet.
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