Recent RCA grad and industrial designer Anirudha Surabhi's final school project was the Kranium, a sturdy and recyclable bike helmet made from cardboard. The concept was good enough to win a 20,000 pound grant from The James Dyson Fellowship, and Surabhi's now seeking production partners.
While cardboard might not seem like an obvious choice for a helmet, Surabhi's creation is lighter than a polystyrene helmet but reportedly offers four times the amount of impact protection. The Kranium features a sturdy cardboard grid is encased in a plastic outer, but even if water gets inside, the cardboard's been impregnated with an acrylic waterproofing agent.
The following video of the Kranium at the London Cycle Show isn't very informative, but it does give you a good look at the helmet (and an example of the cardboard sheet from which they're cut):
via bike biz
I’m a lapsed industrial designer. I was born in NYC and figured I’d die there, but a few years ago I abandoned New York to live on a farm in the countryside with my wife. We have six dogs.
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Anirudha Surabhi's cardboard bicycle helmet
At the same time, the helmet is about safety first and Recyclability later.
As far as cardboard on the head is concerned, at present there are foam pads present which clip onto the inner surface of the ribs. Currently a more suitable inner liner is being developed as well. Its a small issue which can be easily solved.
Also carlton is right... if the cardboard edges weren't normal to the shell, then by shifting and buckling the shockwave would be slowed down... think ><><>< instead of ||||||
Photos on flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joesnowdon/sets/72157623923261726/with/4548958466/
it looks massively dangerous. how the cardboard would absorb the power from outside?
The guy is getting a lot of stick for the helmet (it'll go soggy in the rain; the cardboard will hurt my head etc etc) but I think it's a fabulous concept. Those fixie riders into helmets will like these lids.