Bicycle helmets have always been the same; cumbersome,
uncomfortable and not very aesthetically pleasing. It is a chore to make
children wear them and adults, too, regard them as a compulsory hassle.
Generally, opinion is split as to whether the regular cycling helmet is even
effective in the case of a serious accident and additionally, there are
concerns that mandatory helmet laws would make cycling seem more dangerous than
it is, putting people off a sport that had a positive health impact around 77
times larger than the potential for grave injury. However, the incredible
invention of an invisible helmet now has put all these issues at rest.
The Hövding
is a Swedish product, created by two women who began working on the helmet
while they were at university. Although it has been available to buy for two
years, the promotion video has only recently exploded into the public sphere,
causing their website – www.hovding.com –
to crash multiple times due to excessive hits. And it is unsurprising why! This
‘helmet’ is quite literally invisible, bearing far more semblance to a stylish
fashion snood than the traditional ‘hat hair’ helmet. It comes in a variety of
colours, or ‘skins’ to match any outfit, and features technology that far
supersedes anything currently on the market. The product is the result of
intensive market research which began in 2005 after its creators, Anna Haput
and Terese Alstin, decided it was their industry’s job to come up with an
alternative to helmets after research proved that many people would stop
cycling upon the introduction of mandatory helmet laws. The result is a
movement-activated airbag which explodes from the scarf-like hood in less than
a second and encases virtually the entire head with strong nylon fabric. It
passed, with flying colours, the higher safety checks set by the EU CE safety
mark as it is three times more shock absorbent than ordinary helmets.
The final product is outstanding and has the ability – if it
is not already – to revolutionise the face of urban cycling. Its seven-year
development is reflected in the Hövding’s
innovative craft; the inflation of the airbag is based on an algorithm that can
differentiate between the bumps and movements of normal cycling to an actual
serious, accident. If the cyclist ran down steps, picked up their keys or
chucked the Hövding off at
the end of the day, the airbag wouldn’t inflate – even if something were to
fall on the cyclist’s head, the airbag still would not react. The seamless join
of fashion and comfort with infallible safety technology makes this product the
first of its kind, set to provide the best shock absorption in the world. If
you don’t believe it, check out the proof!
The battery powered product is on the market in a huge
variety of colours, and will put you back £350. This seems a small price to pay
however for a life-saving, reusable, invisible helmet that will complement most
outfits while also keeping the hat hair at bay. Check out the Hövding website for more details:
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