Apps and sensors: this is how technology has conquered the ski slopes
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Whether you are a Sunday skier, or a “super expert” of those who take the chair lifts “without looking” (to quote Filippo Caccamo, TikTok star), little changes: because technology has arrived for some years now on the slopes ski. It has changed the use of it, and perhaps even the fun. Between increasingly precise sensors, applications to monitor performance, ultra-light but at the same time warm materials, goggles that change color and much more, the world of gadgets is in constant ferment even for those who love to ski.
One of the most concrete examples of technology that embraces skiing is undoubtedly that of Electra, a ski goggle produced by an Italian Srl (Out Of) which is able to change color based on light conditions. It’s a bit like what many skiers have been waiting for for a long time, because in a whole day at high altitude it often happens to come across darker slopes (perhaps that pass through the woods), or sudden changes in brightness due to the arrival of the clouds. And then a mask that adapts to the light conditions is a good idea.
In this mask there is a small photovoltaic cell which powers internal electronics and a special LCD film. Thanks to this cell, the power supply is constant and does not require any battery to recharge. The chip works continuously to modulate the brightness of the LCD film according to the light conditions.
A nice find. Of course, if it also recorded video, it would be perfect. But don’t worry: those who don’t like mounting cameras on their helmets (like the timeless and always high-performance GoPro) can find a very smart solution in the Ray-Ban Stories, produced by Luxottica in partnership with Meta. These are the classic Ray-Ban Wayfarer which, however, mount a camera capable of recording short videos (lasting 30 seconds) and taking pictures. They are commanded vocally, and this is not a detail while skiing. And the quality of the recording is appreciable. The contents then end up on the smartphone, and from there it is possible to share them with friends on various social networks. The flaw is that 30 seconds of recording seemed few to us. Certainly it is not possible to record the descent of an entire slope.
Another chapter to which technology is giving a big hand is that of security. We tested the Smith Vantage helmet which mounts the Koroyd zone protection system and the Mips Safety System, technologies that absorb the energy released by impacts. The Mips Safety System is in fact a sliding plane system designed to rotate inside the helmet in all directions and thus reduce the rotational forces that are generated during an impact. It has 21 ventilation holes with double adjustment possibilities that allow you to modulate the air flow according to the existing conditions (and thanks to a particular game it allows you not to fog up the goggles). We mounted a Recco self-adhesive reflector on the helmet: it costs a few euros and in the event of avalanches it allows you to identify who has been buried by the snow.
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