There is huge anticipation among motorcycle riders for the new augmented-reality helmet which will start shipping next year.

The crowdfunding campaign for the Skully AR-1 helmet broke records from day one and has now raised over 900% of its initial target.

Skully launched its campaign on 11 August with the goal of attracting $250,000 of orders. That target was reached in just eight minutes, and within 45 hours sales of the AR-1 had reached $1 million, making it the fastest campaign on crowdfunding site Indiegogo.com to reach that milestone.

The huge demand led the company to extend the campaign in September, and since then sales have surpassed $2.2 million, making it the most successful wearable campaign in Indiegogo’s history.

More than 1,700 AR-1 helmets were sold over the course of the campaign and the crowdfunding effort finally closed on 9 October.

Early adopters could take advantage of special pricing and financing options. The AR-1 was offered for $1,399 and buyers could also opt for a deposit scheme, paying an initial sum of $499 followed by a second payment of $949 which is due when the helmet ships in mid-2015. The retail price of the Skully AR-1 will be $1,499 (£934).

The new helmet will come with a heads-up display linked to a near 180-degree rear-view camera, as well as turn-by-turn GPS navigation, smartphone pairing and voice control.

Commenting as the Indiegogo campaign came to an end, Marcus Weller, founder and chief executive of Skully, said that it had been a great success and “a true testament to the desire for innovation in safety technology.”

Image: Skully