Super Formula team trials Dragon Ball Z-inspired visor display
A unique heads-up display has been used on a helmet visor for the first time during a development test conducted by Honda-affiliated Super Formula team Dandelion Racing
Built by Japan Display, which is co-owned by Super Formula's technology partner Sony, the transparent screen was bolted on top of Tomoki Nojiri's visor during a test for series' next generation SF19 car.
The screen is similar in appearance to the one seen in popular Japanese anime series Dragon Ball Z, and is capable of displaying a variety of information including temperature and fuel consumption.
The idea behind the technology is to feed information directly into the eye of the driver so he/she no longer has to rely on the conventional steering wheel display, which is placed below the driver's line of sight.
"In Super Formula racing, drivers compete for one thousandth of a second, with team members checking a variety of information in a high-tense atmosphere where there is no room for any mistake," said Dandelion Racing's Kiyoshi Muraoka.
"If a driver's eye movement can be reduced in this tense atmosphere, it can help reduce the driver's stress.
"We want to seek the possibility of using high-transmittance colour transparent display technology in many fields with JDI through research and study in the racing field's harsh environment."
The display is still in developmental stages, but Japan Display insists it will continue to work with Dandelion Racing with the ultimate aim of implementing this technology in real racing conditions.
The current version of the display achieved a transmittance level of 80%, allowing "the removal of the usual colour filter and polariser layers".
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