An airbag for cyclists has been created
The airbag is built into the bicycle helmet. The device can significantly reduce the risk of fatal injuries to the cyclist’s head, according to the developers.
Swedish cycling equipment manufacturer POC has teamed up with automotive safety systems supplier Autoliv to create a cycling helmet with an airbag.
The unusual helmet is equipped with sensitive sensors and a built-in airbag, which will reduce the risk of moderate or fatal head injury from 80 to 30 percent in collisions at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour.
The airbag in the event of a collision will play the role of the initial shock energy absorber, and the hard part of the helmet underneath will be secondary. Such a design will significantly increase safety, especially in direct impacts.
According to Autoliv, the number of serious injuries sustained by cyclists in Sweden has increased by 24 percent over the past decade. As for fatalities, 60 percent of them are related to head injuries.
The developers have not yet disclosed details about the principle of operation of the new helmet. Probably, the principle of operation is similar to car airbags: the device is equipped with sensors that detect impacts and sudden movements, and give a signal to open the protective cushion. Autoliv and POC have already built prototype helmets and conducted the first crash tests.
