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These Russians built a hat with a touchscreen

The Cyclops Cap can stream videos and images from your mobile device

The Cyclops Cap can stream videos and images from your mobile device

Image Credit: Cyclops

I’m not sure why the Cyclops Cap exists, but I’m glad it does, if only because the pitch video (filled with dancing, explosions, and questionable English) puts a giddy smile on my face.

Earlier this year, three Russian friends decided to create a new kind of wearable device: a snapback hat with a touchscreen. It looks a lot like a regular cap with an iPhone bolted to the front. When it connects to the Cyclops app via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, the 3.5 inch, 960 x 640 pixel screen can stream images and video from your iOS or Android device.

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You know, I’ve always wanted to play cat videos right on my head.

Above: Cyclops cofounders Maksim Polichuk (left), Levan Sadjaya (center), and Maksim Kucherenko (right)

“Many people might find this idea dull, simple, and useless, but one thing that we understood [is] that it does not leave anyone indifferent,” Maksim Polichuk, cofounder of Cyclops Company, told VentureBeat. “It is almost impossible to get into our client’s head, but we are certainly able to make them brighter!”

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The minds behind Cyclops are turning to the crowd to make their cap a reality. They’re hoping to raise $250,000 through a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo, which launched this morning. An $85 contribution will net you the basic Cyclops model, which comes in a variety of colors and also includes a charger and manual. In the future, they plan to offer a more exclusive collection of Cyclops Caps that use materials like wood, leather, and carbon fiber, which will start at $200.

The Cyclops can stream video for eight hours before it needs to recharge, according to Polichuk, but it doesn’t have built-in speakers for audio. The Cyclops app, which is still under development, will also offer a basic text editor that displays text on the cap’s screen. This could make communication with deaf people easier, noted Polichuk.

The Cyclops team plans to begin shipping caps to campaign backers in March 2014. To learn more about the Cyclops, check out the pitch video below.

So, who wants one? Let us know in the comments.

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