Velochimp: Astrochimp on Cycling

An “eco-friendly” product designer wins an award for a commuter helmet design.

The Helmet uses a less aerodynamic design that will appeal to non-racer types. The commuter would now get a more rounded helmet with integrated lights. Some of the designs on the Zanic site show other ideas such as an integrated visor or other accessories. One feature that helmet designers have not pursued is the idea of integrated accessories. Life would be easier if a light was integrated into the helmet especially now that LED lights have become popular. Just imagine being able to integrate a flashing LED light to the back of your Giro ATMOS. It would increase safety through visibility.

The only issue with adding accessories to a helmet would be the affect on crashes. The helmet would probably not function as well with more objects on it. But that is true if you place an after market light on top. If you produce the helmet and lights as one package then the light design would have to pass the various safety tests thereby making a much safer design overall.

Here are some more details on the Cascuz:

Cascuz is an urban bike helmet with integrated light modules. The current bike accessories market only offers separately sold helmets and lights with straps, whereas this concept integrates these two elements as a single product. Cascuz has two light modules (front and rear) that are attached to the helmet by built-in mechanical features (snaps), creating an integrated design. Front and rear light modules are removable for battery replacement. Cascuz also has two side reflectors for added safety. The light turns on and off automatically when the helmet is put on and taken off the rider’s head. This avoids the risk of people forgetting to turn off the light.

http://www.netdiver.net/ | Zanic Designs | Red Dot Awards