LED ski helmet?

[davidanddiesel]

I had an idea to stick a raspberry up to the top of my ski helmet and have it flash some LEDs. I have many questions about this:

1. Will the Raspberry Pi function properly in temperatures in the negatives (Fahrenheit)?

2. What protection will I need so if I fall my Pi will not break?

3. How will I make sure that I am able to remove the Raspberry Pi and put it in my backpack?

4. What kind of batteries should I use, I normally use LiPo batteries but they are risky to operate in this weather, and double As are way to fat?

If someone could make a diagram or something like that I would be grateful. Thanks for any help!

[ame]

I had an idea to stick a raspberry up to the top of my ski helmet and have it flash some LEDs. I have many questions about this:

1. Will the Raspberry Pi function properly in temperatures in the negatives (Fahrenheit)?

2. What protection will I need so if I fall my Pi will not break?

3. How will I make sure that I am able to remove the Raspberry Pi and put it in my backpack?

4. What kind of batteries should I use, I normally use LiPo batteries but they are risky to operate in this weather, and double As are way to fat?

If someone could make a diagram or something like that I would be grateful. Thanks for any help!

That's a great idea! And you've already identified a bunch of potential pitfalls that will need your attention. If you have Googled for ideas already and haven't found any I suggest you try a few things yourself and then write about what went well, and what didn't go so well, so that others can learn from you.

[davidcoton]

Touching on points 2 and 3: I don't know about ski helmets, but with motorcycle helmets the advice used to be DO NOT MODIFY the helmet in any way -- neither fixing screws or glue. Doing so can damage the protection the helmet should provide.

As to protection for the Pi, I guess it needs a helmet of its own.

[TimG]

Adafruit have a nice tutorial on this subject: https://learn.adafruit.com/citi-bike-helmet/overview

They use an Arduino clone, and (at the risk of courting controversy) that may be a better approach for flashing LEDs. It's smaller, easier to mount on a helmet, and easier to power from batteries.

If you stick to using a raspberry pi, I'd put it and the batteries in a suitably padded rucksack. Using addressable LEDs means you only need 4 wires running to the helmet.

[ghans]

I agree that using a Pi is totally overkill. And its own power
consumption is astronomical compared to a MCU or a LED
itself.

ghans

[Jednorozec]

Use the Adafruit Gemma instead of a Pi. It's very small, runs off Lithium batteries, Arduino code compatible, can drive the Adafruit NeoPixels and is much cheaper than the Pi.

[davidanddiesel]

I made this project, however, I did not use the raspberry Pi, as it is totally overkill. Instead I found a little led controller from a broken led lantern and used it to flash my helmet light. The temperature didn't effect it, it was powered by two little key batteries, and when I failed on a rail, the device was still intact!

[ghans]

I was just going to post that even an Arduino would be overkill for blinking a LED ...

ghans