Bicycle helmets have evolved tremendously over the years, with the addition of sensors, radio communication, LED turn signals, etc. These advancements are essential for keeping our heads protected, but they focus more on accident prevention. The inflatable helmet swoops in to save the day during an actual collision.
The Hövding airbag helmet is exactly what it sounds like – an airbag for your head. During a typical bicycle ride, the device sits around your neck as a fashionable, puffy scarf. Using motion detectors and computer algorithms, the cyclist’s actions are recorded 200 times every second to get a sense of an individual’s typical movement pattern. Once the device detects any abnormalities, the airbag system springs into action. Incredibly strong, nylon fabric engulfs your head before the ground unfortunately says hello.
Linear and rotation acceleration are nothing but bad news for your brain during a collision. To put these helmets to the test, researches preformed a series of drop tests using a dummy adorning a pre-inflated helmet attached with accelerometers. They dropped it onto a platform, varying from 2 ft. to 6.6 ft. in height. The results showed that inflatable helmets absorbed impact five to six times better than its traditional counterpart, due to the airbags softness and its increased area of protection.
Cover your wallet’s ears, because these helmets aren’t cheap. Pricing varies, but these babies can soar up to $500. This head gear is also a one-time gadget. Once your airbag deploys, that’s it, you can’t stuff the material back in for a second time around. In the event of a collision, you’ll inevitably have to order a replacement.
One important thing to note – this helmet has to be charged. Depending on the model, the battery can last from 10 to 18 hours when switched on, and taking between three and six hours to fully recharge. As a person who manages to always have one uncharged device at all times, adding my safety gear to the list might cause a lot of future inconvenience. I can just imagine it now, stepping outside on a beautiful fall day, gearing up for a morning ride, when I suddenly realize that I forgot to charge my bike helmet.
Although there are some drawbacks, this innovation is a great step towards making our bike rides significantly safer.
