GoPro + helmet mount = brain injury?

[haven]

http://petapixel.com/2014/10/12/mic...nt-brain-injury-said-caused-gopro-helmet-cam/

This is all speculation today.

Last Winter, Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher was injured in a skiing accident. He's been in a coma ever since. Schumacher fell, and his head hit a rock. His helmet kept him from being killed on the spot. But investigators are considering that his injury was made more severe by the way his GoPro camera was mounted to the helmet.

Helmet mounts are very popular for filming POV video in all sorts of sports participants. Please be careful if you attach a camera to your helmet.

 

[Herbie]

Interesting. I own a GP helmet mount, but haven't used it (mostly use my camera on my race car, etc.) I may refrain from using it for anything where I NEED the helmet. (i.e. I may use it the mount and wear a helmet just to have a way to have a POV camera in a situation where the helmet isn't warranted...)

Also:
#keepFightingMichael
#ForzaJules

And finally, anyone interested in seeing what recovery from a TBI can be like should read Richard Hammond's book On The Edge: My Story. Its an interesting mix because it's mostly autobiographical (including a brief account of Hammond's youth adventures and how he came to the BBC), but a large section of the book (2nd third?), detailing much of the post-accident time, is written by his wife.

 

[JHa6av8r]

Their stock took a 7% dive when this was reported.

 

[Kmrtnsn]

So, if I wear my helmet just so, and fall just so, and hit a rock just so, the rock just might strike my helmet mounted Go-Pro in just such a manner than my already inpending brain injury might be more severe? I guess I should stop leaving in house.

 

[kojackJKU]

I can see where it would, helmets are not designed to have implements mounted on them. I think you will see more of this come up now that they have become so popular. Even if the mounts are plastic, if you take an impact on the camera, it will centralize the force to that point. Me being me, have already thought of this and refuse to use helmet mounted cameras.

Any video device is mounted on my vehicle, I can fix that but not your brain.

 

[Joe917]

I also wonder what some paints do to the helmet material.

 

[libarata]

What is a helmet?

 

[gohuge]

If I die from wearing a helmet cam...it was my time to go. Unfortunately, MS had a freak accident. Which sucks,
as he was an amazing driver and ignited my F1 fandom. If I understood it right, rocks may be the culprit.
That I can believe.

 

[libarata]

I can see where it would, helmets are not designed to have implements mounted on them. I think you will see more of this come up now that they have become so popular. Even if the mounts are plastic, if you take an impact on the camera, it will centralize the force to that point. Me being me, have already thought of this and refuse to use helmet mounted cameras.

Any video device is mounted on my vehicle, I can fix that but not your brain.

If bolted through, then yes. Otherwise, if it were glued or strapped on, the force will still be absorbed through ought the structure underneath the camera, just as if you just a flat rock of the same size. I would be more worried about how much the camera's bulk will effect your neck in the situation.

 

[goodtimes]

I think it's too early to completely disregard the potential for injury, but I'm not going to lose sleep over the fact that I clip a GoPro to my motorcycle helmet on occasion.

Should it be looked at so consumers can understand what the risks really are? Absolutely. Do we all need to throw our GoPros away because we're all going to die if we put one on our helmet? No. We just need to accept that there may be an increased risk of injury when we do it.

 

[robgendreau]

That Go Pro or other device stuck on your helmet can add a lot of torque. If you've ever worn a helmet with attachments and got say debris or snow dumped on it, you'll recognize what I'm talking about. The problem is compounded by the fact that tons of people don't have their helmets secured to their heads correctly. We had a buddy in high school who was strangled by his helmet chin strap cuz it was on too loose. Light little bike helmets probably are worse for this. Not to mention accidents that have occurred just because there's an attachment, as when a branch catches the camera. I imagine one of these days somebody's gonna wind up in a very expensive injury and sue GoPro for product liability. I'd hate to be their lawyer; must have many sleepless nights.

I would think if you need a helmet you need it to perform as intended. But I suppose for some people it's really JUST a platform for their camera :sombrero: In many serious events, like say bike racing in the UK, they're banned during races. Then again, I'm really sick of POV video shot with these...more nausea inducing than the head injuries I've sustained.

 

[arlon]

The increased risk comes from doing things you normally wouldn't do just to get that cool shot.. One's ego is way more dangerous than the camera mount. Hold my beer and watch me record this for utube... (-:}

 

[goodtimes]

The increased risk comes from doing things you normally wouldn't do just to get that cool shot.. One's ego is way more dangerous than the camera mount. Hold my beer and watch me record this for utube... (-:}

I'd bet that this is one of the biggest contributing factors to GoPro related injuries.

 

[Ryanmb21]

The only reason I wear a helmet is so that I have a place to mount my GoPro.

 

[dwh]

I wear a helmet because a California legislator tried again and again to pass a helmet law, and when he couldn't, he finally flat out lied about the public burden theory (the public burden theory wasn't true) because he hated motorcycles and motorcyclists - then a few years after he was out of office, he admitted to the San Jose Mercury that was exactly what he did.

He was PROUD of it.