Kickstarter project wants to turn your bicycle helmet into something from 'Tron' [FastCompany]

Electroluminescense isn't new—hobbyists have toyed with the technology for a while, making everyday objects look like they came straight out of Tron. Paul Schnieder wants to use it to help make cycling at night a little less dangerous.

Paul's Electroluminescent Helmet Kit, currently on Kickstarter, is based on a simple concept: It adds electroluminescent (EL) strips to the sides and back of motorcycle and bicycle helmets. The result not only gives your helmet that oh-so-hip sci-fi aesthetic, but it can also help increase your visibility as you ride around at night, possibly preventing you from getting hit by a car.

The kit would come with a flexible EL light strip to wrap around your helmet, a battery pack (which attaches to the back of the helmet), and the necessary cables. According to Paul, his goal was to design something that's easy to operate, lasts a long time on a single set of batteries, and stays cool to the touch.

According to the Kickstarter page, the components are relatively easy to come by, which to my eyes gives it a good chance of succeeding as a product—assuming Paul reaches his funding goal, anyway. He's looking to raise $10,000 to purchase the necessary components and work toward designing the next version of the kit, and as of this writing, he's raised $316.

You do have some time if you want to back this project, though—September 5, to be exact. If the Electroluminescent Helmet Kit sounds like something you'd be interested in, visit the Kickstarter project page to find out more.

[FastCompany]