While companies like Microsoft are showing off augmented reality tools like the HoloLens, which is designed for stationary users, a company called DigiLens has just unveiled a kind of mobile AR tool that motorcyclists will soon be able to use to navigate the road.

At first glance, the easiest way to describe the device is as "Google Glass for motorcycle helmets," except the viewing lens is significantly larger.

DigiLens' device magnetically fastens itself to the rider's helmet, just in front of the eye, delivering real-time updates on information including traffic warnings, fuel usage, speed and engine functions. The outside world data streamed into the lens is culled from a 360-degree view of traffic and road conditions around the biker.

"The software is written in Unity3D and based on our Qualcomm Snapdragon and Android platform,” Jonathan Waldern, DigiLens founder and CEO, told Mashable.

In addition to the operational data, the HUD also displays turn indicators for pre-selected trips and offers on-demand playback of the helmet's rear and front cameras, a particularly useful feature in the event of accidents.

“The battery life is currently over six hours, but the cells are hot swappable so left and right hand chambers can be swapped without the Helmet HUD stopping,” Waldern says.

Image: Digilens

While not "augmented reality" in the sense we've become accustomed to (holographic elements geographically superimposed over usually stationary objects in the real world), the DigiLens does manage to drop a layer over the rider's view that enhances real world road environments.

And like many new tech-powered vehicular tools, there may be concerns about distracted driving while using the helmet. For example, it's not hard to imagine that a motorcyclist might get distracted by all the information displayed on the lens during challenging driving situations. But this area is so new, it's difficult to pin down how much risk might be involved. Presently, drivers in the U.S. are allowed to use a mobile phone in their car if it is "mounted close to the driver." From that perspective, the DigiLens might end up being a bit safer in the long run, but we'll have to wait for the official government data in coming years to know for sure.

"There is no law preventing a HUD in a helmet, but from a display standpoint there are strict laws requiring riders field of view is not obscured," says Waldern. "Because it is so transparent, the DigiLens BMW HUD eyepiece meets these requirements. Just like in a BMW auto HUD, information design is carefully worked to be non-distractive and ergonomically correct."

In the meantime, the helmet won't be available until 2017, and a price has not been announced. The heads up display (HUD) technology will be demonstrated at CES in Las Vegas this week using a real world BMW Motorrad motorcycle simulator.