Swedish design company Hövding have developed something of a unique solution to cycling safety with the launch of their airbag helmet designed to deploy in case of collision. International studies, say the company, show that bicycle helmets reduce injuries by at least 60%. 40% of people who die in bicycling accidents would have survived if they had been wearing a helmet. Worn around the neck, the device which looks like a collar, contains a folded airbag made from an ultra-strong nylon fabric that won’t rip when scraped against asphalt. Using sensors – a combination of accelerometers and gyros – the device detects a fall or impact and uses a tiny cold gas inflator to inflate the hood in 0.1 seconds completely encasing the sides, back and top of the head. The system also contains a unique ‘black box’ which records a rolling 10 seconds of data which can be analysed following an accident. Being Swedish there’s a fashion element too – the visible shell which covers the collar can be interchanged to match your cycling outfit…
Further information at www.hovding.com
