In an ambitious and potentially life-saving initiative, a group of universities, industry partners, and Forcit have joined forces to create an advanced rider assistance system. This project aims to reduce the alarming number of motorcycle accidents and fatalities on our roads. The collaboration, backed by a $1,650,505 research grant from the Federal Government, is set to change the game for motorcycle safety and help riders evade hazards more effectively.

Forcite, the University of Canberra, Macquarie University, and Western Sydney University are leading the charge to develop a next-generation smart helmet and sensing system. The cooperative project, which is worth a total of $5,654,275, also includes partners such as Transport for NSW, APPRO Photoelectron Inc., NSW Smart Sensing Network (NSSN), and Harley Davidson Australia.

Motorcycle fatalities are currently 30 times higher than those for other road users, a stark reminder that it's time for action. Forcite CEO and Co-Founder Alfred Boyadgis emphasizes the importance of the project, saying, "By bringing together cutting-edge smart helmet technology and advanced rider assistance systems, we can help pre-empt hazards, enabling swift evasive action."

The research project consists of two stages: detection and intervention. The Human-Centred Technology (HCT) Research Centre at the University of Canberra will take the lead on developing the smart sensing system. This system will recognize hazards on the road and other road users, helping riders avoid collisions.

Assistant Professor Ibrahim Radwan, research team leader from the HCT Research Centre, highlights the disparity between collision avoidance technology in cars and motorcycles: "Collision avoidance systems in cars, such as lane departure alerts and autonomous emergency braking systems, are common in new models, but equivalent technology for motorcycles, which are far more vulnerable on the road, is still in its infancy."

To bridge this gap, researchers from the Western Sydney University's MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, School of Computer, Data and Mathematical Sciences, and School of Psychology will use neuroscientific principles to study the effects of helmet-based heads-up display information on rider behavior and cognition in a custom-designed motorcycle simulation environment. This research, led by Associate Professor John Cass and Dr. Tomas Trescak, aims to optimize the delivery of information from the smart helmet to the rider.

Further enhancing the project, Professor Anina N Rich from Macquarie University's School of Psychological Sciences and a grant-funded postdoctoral fellow will draw on their expertise in sensory and cognitive processing. By employing cognitive science measures of attention and cognitive load in a laboratory setting, the team will work to refine the smart helmet's ability to communicate crucial information to the rider.

The innovative partnership between Forcite, Australian universities, Harley-Davidson Australia, and Transport for NSW, combined with the backing of the CRC-P grant, promises to revolutionize motorcycle safety. With the brightest minds in the industry working together, this groundbreaking project is poised to reduce risk and increase the joy of riding for motorcyclists around the world.