Motorsports safety and apparel brand Alpinestars is preparing to unveil the successor to its currently available Tech-Air motorcycle airbag system. Designed for street motorcycle riding, the Tech-Air 5 airbag vest continues to be a fully self-contained system designed to be worn under any textile jacket. It promises a slimmer design with greater functionality.
Specifically the vest incorporates six sensors that measure acceleration and the rider’s position in space. The electronics monitor this data, and if the parameters exceed a threshold, the airbag can be inflated in 40 milliseconds in an effort to protect the rider’s frame (shoulders, chest, ribs, and entire back) before initial impact with the ground or obstacle. The Italian-American company claims the airbag is capable of reducing impact force by 93 percent compared to a passive chest/back protector.
Tech-Air 5 now offers Bluetooth capability so the user can pair the device to his or her phone via Alpinestars’ proprietary Tech-Air smartphone app (not yet released). The app monitors operational and battery status, and can record analysis of a particular riding event. Tech-Air 5’s battery life has been extended to 30 hours of use, and the garment incorporates an LED display which relays system function.
Alpinestars will demonstrate this product via live deployments during the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show taking place in Las Vegas January 7 through 10 inside Hall D, Booth 46046.
