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The recycled paper helmet
The rise of using bicycles in cities as an alternative, fast and ecological means of transport is not new at all, but the increase in the concept of shared bicycles that many cities around the world already practice with the intention of improving the lives of their inhabitants.
Comfort for all, but it should be emphasized that safety was not the main topic of discussion when the community bicycle was democratized. (By the way, we present an interesting article on how to implement a bicycle system in a city)
Although we only have to look at the streets to realize it, a study by George Town University states that 71% of cyclists in the city use helmets if they take their private bicycle, but only 33% who use shared bicycles usually wear helmets of protection.
The reasons for these very low rates in most cases are quite simple; opting for a shared bike to get to a place can be an urgent decision or normally the routes are not very long, so not everyone is willing to carry a helmet on hand all day to cover these situations and more with the dimensions of the same.
Devising a possible and real solution to the above problem, has just won the James Dyson International Design Award (The James Dyson Award is an international design competition whose objective is to support young people in the world of design and engineering), with the Eco Helmet project.
The Eco Helmel helmet is designed and conceived by an engineer named Isis Shiffer after traveling and having used bike sharing systems in different cities where they offer a complete bicycle network but… And safety?… So I had to turn three primordial premises; Safety, "democratize" the use of the helmet and that it is built with recyclable and sustainable materials.
The designer, in her endeavor to protect our heads against impacts, came up with the use of paper with a structure in the form of cells in a hexagonal honeycomb pattern that not only provides more than remarkable resistance. The configuration of its radial structure distributes all the impact forces evenly around the head, being as effective as a traditional low-quality polystyrene helmet.
In addition, using this type of structure and the paper base material confers lightness, a recyclable material is used, a reduction in manufacturing costs is conferred, lowering the sale price of the product (The estimate of the sale price of the helmet is of 5 Dollars) and, thanks to its fan-shaped design, it can be completely folded when not in use with the approximate size of a banana.
Like the case presented, recycled materials, for bikes there is also sustainability, from the following article we can make our own wooden bicycle.
You democratize at very cheap and accessible prices for everyone without losing the necessary security and having a recycled helmetWhat more do we want!… And by the way, thanks to its biodegradable coating, it is resistant to rain for a maximum of three hours, normally enough for trips in the city. (Also of interest a helmet for earthquakes from this same portal)
Wearing a helmet, says Shiffer, “It's a very emotional issue for people. Many think that helmets are stupid, or that they do nothing to protect them. A change of culture is necessary now!… There are many options, but the ease and discretion of EcoHelmet, as well as the possible sale price, will be elements to take into account to try to channel the city cyclist for the benefit of their safety ».
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