Applications of Smart Helmet in Applied Sciences: A Systematic Review

Abstract

A smart helmet is a wearable device that has attracted attention in various fields, especially in applied sciences, where extensive studies have been conducted in the past decade. In this study, the current status and trends of smart helmet research were systematically reviewed. Five research questions were set to investigate the research status of smart helmets according to the year and application field, as well as the trend of smart helmet development in terms of types of sensors, microcontrollers, and wireless communication technology. A total of 103 academic research articles published in the past 11 years (2009–2020) were analyzed to address the research questions. The results showed that the number of smart helmet applications reported in literature has been increasing rapidly since 2018. The applications have focused mostly on ensuring the safety of motorcyclists. A single-board-based modular concept unit, such as the Arduino board, and sensor for monitoring human health have been used the most for developing smart helmets. Approximately 85% of smart helmets have been developed to date using wireless communication technology to transmit data obtained from smart helmets to other smart devices or cloud servers.