Launch year 2013 Last production year 2016 | Company Skully Helmets Inc. | |
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Availability Pre-orders August, 2014 Website www.skullyhelmets.com (defunct) | ||
Skully was a brand of motorcycle helmet with a heads-up display and a rear-facing camera. The helmet's software was based on the Android platform, and can be controlled with voice commands. Users can see rearward through the heads-up display and the rear camera. The helmet also includes Bluetooth functionality, allowing music streaming from smartphones. Similar helmet designs have been proposed in the past including one by LiveMap
The helmet was invented by Marcus Weller who also served as the company CEO. As of July 12, 2016 Marcus Weller was removed as CEO and replaced by Martin Fitcher. Fichter was an executive at mobile device company HTC's American subsidiary in Bellevue, Washington.
As of August, 2014, the manufacturer was taking preorders for the helmet. The company also had the fastest fully funded Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to-date, raising $1.1 million. However, there were significant production delays with the helmet including company insider accounts estimating no more than 20 to 100 shipped units as of July 12, 2016.
Skully shut down in July 2016 and was expected to declare bankruptcy shortly afterward. Despite having raised $2.5 million through the Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign, and an additional $11 million in venture capital from Intel and others, the company was unable to secure additional funding. Former executive assistant, Isabelle Faithhauer, is suing Skully and the founders, Marcus and Mitch Weller, for fraudulently using corporate funds for personal use. Marcus Weller denied the claims of the lawsuit.
