STOCKHOLM (BRAIN) — POC, which announced two years ago that it was working with the Swedish solar startup Exeger, released the first result of that collaboration on Tuesday: A helmet with a taillight whose battery is charged by indoor or outdoor light.
The POC Omne Eternal integrates Exeger's Powerfoyle light-harvesting material on top. The taillight turns on automatically so the rider never needs to worry about activating or charging it, POC said.
"Safety and light from clean, endless energy," the company said. The helmet will be available initially in Europe in June, selling from the company's website for 250 euros (about $300).
POC's CEO, Jonas Sjögren, said, "Safety and innovation are at the very center of POC's approach. We can all see the very positive shift towards cycling for transport, health and recreation, but with that change comes the well-documented safety worries and risks that cyclists feel when sharing the road. The Omne Eternal may be a world's first, featuring groundbreaking solar cell technology, but our focus has been to provide riders with enhanced safety and a seamless user experience. Simply placing the helmet on the head will automatically activate the technology, enhancing safety without ever needing to think about it. And it supports all our efforts towards a more sustainable environment."
POC and Exiger announced their collaboration in 2019. Exeger's CEO, Giovanni Fili, said, "POC is known for its open-minded and innovative approach to safety and is rightly recognized as the leader in the field. Exeger has over the past decade developed the new generation of fully customizable, durable and sustainable solar cells, creating what others deemed impossible – an innovation with the potential to deliver clean endless energy and to re-define the energy from light. Our long-term partnership with POC is as natural as the light we harvest and we are incredibly excited to be part of the release of the Omne Eternal, which represents a new era of smart helmets to enhance safety for any rider, anywhere in the world."
More information: journal.pocsports.com.
