Helmet camera

A helmet camera, otherwise known as a micro video camera, bullet camera, or lipstick camera, is an action camera, usually a closed circuit television camera, attached to a helmet allowing someone to make a visual record from their point of view (POV), while keeping their hands and vision free.

Archives containing photos of helmet cameras have surfaced over the last decade. One shows Denver Broncos backup quarterback Jacky Lee wearing a helmet camera at football practice in 1965. Another early helmet video camera was a 1977 head-mounted camera designed to convert images into tactile sensations for the blind,

Almost a decade later, a Canon CI-10 camera was mounted to the side of Dick Garcia's helmet by Aerial Video Systems (AVS) of Burbank, CA at the Nissan USGP 500 World Championship at Carlsbad Raceway in Carlsbad, CA on June 28, 1986. At this time the helmet camera was used commercially. For the first time, images were transmitted live from this camera by AVS via portable microwave to the ABC broadcast truck, then integrated into their live broadcast. This innovative system showed viewers the rider's Point of View of the race as it unfolded.

Another early innovator of video helmet camera technology was Mark Schulze, who created a system for use while producing The Great Mountain Biking Video in 1987. "Schulze stripped-down a red motorcycle helmet and jury-rigged a mounting for the first consumer color video chip camera. A cable ran from the camera to a padded backpack that contained a Panasonic VHS portable video recorder and a DC-lead-acid battery for power, which made the rig heavy, unwieldy, and hot.

This pioneering technology brought an engaging perspective to live sports television and action sports videos and eventually gave way to button and lipstick cameras. The helmet cam then became a standard piece of equipment, worn by umpires, catchers, goalies and referees for live television as well as BMX riders, surfers, skiers, skydivers, hockey and soccer players and other sports aficionados, to record and share their experiences.

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