Hövding - en ny cykelhjälm
Author
Summary, in English
The bike helmet is certainly a topic of current interest. From January the 1st 2005 it is mandated by law that
children under 15 years old must use bike helmet when biking or being given a lift on a bike. There is an
ongoing debate about the next step, to develop the law on bike helmet to apply for adult bicyclists as well. If a
law like this would be established, the request on bike helmets would be explosive.
Despite the alarming statistics on accidents, most people chose to bike without helmet (ourselves included).
Partly because it’s bulky and unpractical to bring when not biking, but also because the bike helmet is
considered geeky and unflattering. Research done by Vägverket has shown that half of all adults are in favour
of the law established by New Year. At the same time, only about nine per cent wear helmet when biking.
The largest area of usage for bike helmets in Sweden is not sports but every day usage. In spite of this, all
helmets today look sporty. It’s obvious that the bike helmet is in need of a proper face lift.
We have developed a concept called Hövding – a helmet unlike everything that exists on the market today. An
ergonomic, handy helmet that meets all necessary safety demands, while being easy to bring after you’ve
parked you bike.
Hövding is a bike helmet which functions as an airbag. The airbag is inflated in about 100 ms by sensors
recognising an unnormal motion within the bicyclist caused by an accident. The airbag also relies on sensors
preventing “false” inflation by cellular phones and other electronical equipment. The airbag is folded inside a
collar that the bicyclist is wearing around her/his neck, and is not seen until it is inflated. The bag has the shape
of a hood that will surround the head at the accident and cushion the shock. The collar exists in several
different stiles and fabrics, and doesn’t take up more space than an ordinary scarf.
Since the bike helmet in this way becomes “invisible”, it can be expected to attract an enormous targetgroup.
The helmet matches all different clothes, suit as well as jeans. No one can claim that there are only bad looking
helmets, that they ruin their hairstyle, that they are bulky, that they are difficult to bring along, that the cap
doesn’t fit under it…
According to the Swedish companies Autoliv AB and Imego AB, producing airbags and microsensors, this
concept is fully realistic and possible to put into effect.
children under 15 years old must use bike helmet when biking or being given a lift on a bike. There is an
ongoing debate about the next step, to develop the law on bike helmet to apply for adult bicyclists as well. If a
law like this would be established, the request on bike helmets would be explosive.
Despite the alarming statistics on accidents, most people chose to bike without helmet (ourselves included).
Partly because it’s bulky and unpractical to bring when not biking, but also because the bike helmet is
considered geeky and unflattering. Research done by Vägverket has shown that half of all adults are in favour
of the law established by New Year. At the same time, only about nine per cent wear helmet when biking.
The largest area of usage for bike helmets in Sweden is not sports but every day usage. In spite of this, all
helmets today look sporty. It’s obvious that the bike helmet is in need of a proper face lift.
We have developed a concept called Hövding – a helmet unlike everything that exists on the market today. An
ergonomic, handy helmet that meets all necessary safety demands, while being easy to bring after you’ve
parked you bike.
Hövding is a bike helmet which functions as an airbag. The airbag is inflated in about 100 ms by sensors
recognising an unnormal motion within the bicyclist caused by an accident. The airbag also relies on sensors
preventing “false” inflation by cellular phones and other electronical equipment. The airbag is folded inside a
collar that the bicyclist is wearing around her/his neck, and is not seen until it is inflated. The bag has the shape
of a hood that will surround the head at the accident and cushion the shock. The collar exists in several
different stiles and fabrics, and doesn’t take up more space than an ordinary scarf.
Since the bike helmet in this way becomes “invisible”, it can be expected to attract an enormous targetgroup.
The helmet matches all different clothes, suit as well as jeans. No one can claim that there are only bad looking
helmets, that they ruin their hairstyle, that they are bulky, that they are difficult to bring along, that the cap
doesn’t fit under it…
According to the Swedish companies Autoliv AB and Imego AB, producing airbags and microsensors, this
concept is fully realistic and possible to put into effect.
Department/s
Publishing year
2005
Language
Swedish
Document type
Student publication for Master's degree (two years)
Topic
- Arts and Architecture
- Technology and Engineering
Supervisor
- Per Liljeqvist
- Claus-Christian Eckhardt