Image courtesy of Recon Instruments
Just because it’s that time of the year to get your argyle sweaters and one piece vinyl ski suit out doesn’t meet you have to leave your gadgets at home. Recon Instruments in conjunction with Zeal Optics wants to up the ante this year by releasing the world’s first Alpine Snow goggles with built-in GPS and Heads Up Display. The Transcend are built on a Zeal Frame, and they include glove friendly finger buttons with a micro LCD display that appears as an image in front of you. The goggles are said to be completely safe and unobtrusive for both front and peripheral vision;. you also have the option to turn them off if you don’t want to use them, and they’ll get about 8 hours out of a single charge.
Image courtesy of Recon Instruments
Transcend provides real-time feedback including speed, latitude/longitude, altitude, vertical distance travelled, total distance travelled, chrono/stopwatch mode, a run-counter, temperature and time. It is also the only pair of goggles in the world that boasts GPS capabilities, USB charging and data transfer, and free post-processing software all with a user-friendly, addictive interface.
If you’re an avid snowboarder or skier then this is some seriously sweet technology to help you maximize your runs and make friends at the lodge. How many times have you wished you could go back and find that killer trail through the woods or that drop off just past the orange “do not enter” fence? Whether you’re trekking the Alps or lost on one of Killington’s 6 mountains, the Transcend goggles could be the answer maximizing your weekend lift ticket. The amount of technology crammed in these goggles is pretty amazing to say the least. With a full color Heads Up Display (HUD) you have cutting edge of technology with the same style and quality of a Zeal goggles. The Polarized and Photochromic lenses automatically adjust depending on light conditions; they change from a light yellow to a dark rose and amber tint, which makes them a perfect all day, all climate goggle.
Image courtesy of Recon Instruments
I would have to say these goggles are the coolest things I’ve seen since clip in bindings were invented. Anything with a Heads Up Display is worth bragging rights alone, and you could even use them to star in your next home-made Bond film. Going over your runs that day once you’re back at the cabin is a pretty cool way to plan out your next day of runs or find something that you have yet to shred. The Transcend goggles are available now for pre-order directly from Recon Instruments (CAN) and Zeal Optics (US). They start at $399 and should be available on 10.10.10 for purchase.
Here’s Recon Instruments Video to get you pumped for the up and coming snow season:
Quick Specs:
- Real time statistics: speed, altitude, vertical, and total distance odometers, run-counter, temperature, stopwatch/chrono mode, clock
- Logs averages, maximums and minimums for each run and over your entire day
- Full GPS and onboard sensor technology
- Head-mounted, full-color micro LCD display
- Several days of memory storage
- Micro USB port for charging and data transfer
- Google maps overlay
- Total weight: 257 grams
- Rechargeable lithium-ion battery with 6-8 hour run time based on operating environment
- English/French Language
- Imperial/Metric Units
- Recon HQ software for tracking your trips and sharing online
Includes:
- Protective hard case
- Lens cleaning bag
- Micro-USB charger with European and North American adapters
via Recon Instruments, Zeal Optics
Full Press Release:
The World’s First GPS Goggles with Head-Mounted Display Available Now
See More with this Season’s ‘Must-Have’ Alpine Goggles
The highly anticipated Recon-Zeal Transcend goggles are now available to order, Recon Instruments announced today.
The public can purchase these revolutionary GPS-enabled goggles from Recon Instruments’ fresh new website www.reconinstruments.com and be part of the exclusive group to own the world’s only goggles with real-time GPS data viewable through a head-mounted display system.
Recon Instruments’ initial 2010 limited release will ensure skiers and riders have a pair of Transcend goggles when the first snow hits the mountains this winter. There are two models of Transcend available with different lens options, Transcend SPPX is fitted with an SPPX polarized and photochromic lens retailing at $499US,Transcend SPX features an SPX polarized lens and costs $399US.
Transcend is the only pair of goggles in the world to provide real-time feedback to the user, including speed, latitude/longitude, altitude, vertical distance travelled, total distance travelled, chrono/stopwatch mode, a run-counter, temperature and time. It is also the only pair of goggles that boasts GPS capabilities, USB charging and data transfer, and post-processing software all with a user-friendly, futuristic interface.
Recon Instruments has even hinted at an open API app development and download community, with some featured free apps.
The optical system, designed by Recon Instruments, is embedded within a Zeal Optics’ frame design on a micro LCD display, which appears to hang approximately six feet in front of the user. Transcend also features ‘glove-friendly’ buttons to navigate the full-color dashboard and feature screens. The goggles also come with Recon HQ, a PC/Mac software application which allows users to track their day’s statistics and overlay their entire alpine experience on satellite imagery.
In addition, Recon HQ features a highlight editor to export the best parts of a session straight to Recon’s new website and HQ Online community. And with podium contests and giveaways awarded to the best highlights experienced at resorts around the globe skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling will never be the same again.
Darcy Hughes, Recon Instruments’ Chief Marketing Officer noted, “We have had great success with the development and partnership with Zeal Optics, and we’re excited for this initial limited release. Interest in the goggles has been unprecedented so it will be interesting to see how fast the release sells through at reconinstruments.com.”
“As action sports fanatics ourselves, we recognize the fun and importance of sharing the data collected by the goggles with friends, which is why we have incorporated the HQ Online community into our new website. We hope the public will have as much fun using our invigorated website as we have had in its development.” Hughes added.
The first major challenge Recon Instruments encountered was integrating the technology while maintaining the aesthetics of the goggles. A micro-computer processes the information collected by four different sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, temperature and pressure sensors which track the user’s position in their environment. In addition to the four sensors, a GPS chip is also incorporated into the package, all at a fraction of board architecture seen before. The processed data is projected onto a micro LCD display inside the goggles where a 3-dimensional lens then magnifies and projects a virtual image so it appears to be about six feet in front of the user.
