SlashGear

There are three things built into this jacket, a GPS receiver, some sort of audio output in the hood, and an LED array. The LED array is used to give you directions as well as the audio output for voice directions and it also acts as your menu system for selecting where you want to go and all that jazz.

Seems like a pretty cool system if you ask me. I watched the video and it shows the LED array scrolling through the various options on the menu, it also shows the jacket giving directions. I suppose its probably intended for skiers and snowboarders and sportsman of that type so they can find their way to the hill they want to go to or back to their cabin or the club house, but it’d be pretty awesome just walking around town with it.

One question I have, other than how much it costs and where can I get one is how is it powered? I mean, is it rechargeable, do you have to pack it full of AA batteries all the time, and how long does it last on a charge or set of batteries, it’d suck to not bring along a map because you were dependent on the jacket only to have it run out of juice midday.

[via MAKE]