The Invisible Bicycle Helmet (Some thought it can't be done)

This is brilliant! I want to know more! And buy one!


Vimeo:
“If people say it’s impossible we have to prove them wrong.”

Design students Anna and Terese took on a giant challenge as an exam project. Something no one had done before. If they could swing it, it would for sure be revolutionary. The bicycle is a tool to change the world. If we use bikes AND travel safe: Life will be better for all.

Produced by WG Film with the support of
The Swedish Film Institute - Film commissioner Andra Lasmanis.
Confuciussays...

skip to 2:35 to see the actual product and avoid listening to them tell you how spectacular they are especially because they are women and all men think that women are incapable of even the most basic technical abilities.....

Also....trading a bike helmet for a sweaty neck brace.....maybe not so awesome. I would have to argue that a dorky and guaranteed bike helmet > a dorky, expensive, probably heavy, not 100% guaranteed function & definitely sweaty neck brace.

Practicality for anywhere that gets above 70 degrees F = 0.

Still....its undeniably neat.

kevingrrsays...

They are very cool, but they cost about $600 each at the moment. Hopefully with some economies of scale the price can come down.

I notice in Chicago that women seem to be the WORST about wearing helmets - gotta keep that hair looking good.

Fortunately my girlfriend is an ER doctor and knows the value of a brain bucket first hand. We always ride with helmets.

rkonesays...

>> ^kevingrr:

They are very cool, but they cost about $600 each at the moment.


Also, you don't necessarily use your bike helmet when you crash. I go over the bars on my mountain bike like the last dummy clip about 3 - 4 times a year. I have only landed on my helmet once in the past 5 years...

bovansays...

I always use my bicycle on the sidewalk or separate bicycle roads, my average speed is 16 km/h (10 mph), I always look for immediate and potential dangers and slow down near kids and animals as well as turn down the volume on my music when I need to dedicate more attention, I never cross a road unless I have eye contact with the approaching driver, and I have never in my 30+ year life been close to landing with any parts of my body above my knee (since all the crashes I have ever had have been low-speed while trying to break on gravel). (Also my mileage on bicycle since April when the snow disappeared is ~900km.)

Maybe this will come back to haunt me one day, but I'm so surprised that people need bicycle helmets for most of the slow speed bycycling they do when what they need is actually a brain, since everyone I know that has been involved in serious bicycle crashes have been stupid, reckless or just crazy.
Of course if you have to use the roads and live in France, then please do wear one..

Pay attention to the car thats coming instead of cutting. Tap the break a bit instead of going full speed down a hill. Slow down (and show some respect) for your fellow humans and animals.
Avoiding an accident alltogether is always better than being in one with a crappy helmet.

I use a helmet when I go snowboarding and mountain biking though, but it's not a bicycle helmet.

Yogisays...

>> ^Confucius:

skip to 2:35 to see the actual product and avoid listening to them tell you how spectacular they are especially because they are women and all men think that women are incapable of even the most basic technical abilities.....
Also....trading a bike helmet for a sweaty neck brace.....maybe not so awesome. I would have to argue that a dorky and guaranteed bike helmet > a dorky, expensive, probably heavy, not 100% guaranteed function & definitely sweaty neck brace.
Practicality for anywhere that gets above 70 degrees F = 0.
Still....its undeniably neat.


I think they're entitled...all I hear about is how shit women are from men on the internet. Just because it doesn't describe you doesn't mean their own personal experiences with men doubting them aren't valid.

bovansays...

I assume that was bike lanes which werent separated from the road?

Also, here in Norway.. people let you across the street if you want across.. noticed when I lived in Geneva that it was pretty much like playing Frogger, so I'm aware that things may be more dangerous in other countries..

>> ^Ryjkyj:

I know two people personally who have been riding their bikes in the bike lane when a truck drove up behind them and smashed the back of their head with an extended mirror.

Yogisays...

>> ^CaptainPlanet:

their own personal experiences with people doubting them. lets not just pass the buck on sexism
>> ^Yogi:
>>
... doesn't mean their own personal experiences with men doubting them aren't valid.



You think they would be complaining if just people doubted them? It was men...and they expressed concern that women were not smart enough to do something like this. That is the very DEFINITION of sexism, it doesn't matter if you don't want it to be.

cracanatasays...

This coming from Swedish girls isn't by accident, Sweden is soaked in radical feminism, have a look http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yta55u2zP2U
There's a big difference between anonymously talking shit on the internet and talking shit in a wining short sponsored by General Electric. Now, was it so important that they'll bring up misogyny, where they so oppressed by hoards of men that they needed to put it in a short about a bicycle helm? Allow me to doubt that.
Also, that invention looks like might be able to break your collar bone or squash few vertebrae if not just snap your neck.

>> ^Yogi:

>> ^Confucius:
skip to 2:35 to see the actual product and avoid listening to them tell you how spectacular they are especially because they are women and all men think that women are incapable of even the most basic technical abilities.....
Also....trading a bike helmet for a sweaty neck brace.....maybe not so awesome. I would have to argue that a dorky and guaranteed bike helmet > a dorky, expensive, probably heavy, not 100% guaranteed function & definitely sweaty neck brace.
Practicality for anywhere that gets above 70 degrees F = 0.
Still....its undeniably neat.

I think they're entitled...all I hear about is how shit women are from men on the internet. Just because it doesn't describe you doesn't mean their own personal experiences with men doubting them aren't valid.

kymbossays...

I think if you're that averse to wearing a helmet, you deserve to pay $600 for a sweaty neck brace that might prevent brain damage if you come off.

I'll stick to my $30 helmet, thanks.

Deanosays...

I did a lot of what now some would consider risky cycling in central and South London many years ago and never had a problem without a helmet (couldn't have afforded one anyhoo). I had a few accidents but you'd expect that. Cycling sensibly and avoiding large vehicles will see you safely home most of the time.

Of course that was pre-radical Health & Safety where every little activity must be accompanied by safety goggles, a helmet or comprehensive assessment. All of which is ever so slightly out of whack with the real risk e.g the reason why you don't see kids play in the streets anymore.

Deanosays...

>> ^braschlosan:

Can we add this to the lies channel? You can't have it both ways, either the device is a helmet and I can see it around your neck or the device is not a helmet and therefor is mislabeled.


I bet you don't like convertibles then? Or any technology that's capable of adapting and changing to our requirements? You're going to see more of this in the future, not less.

skinnydaddy1says...

WTF bikes are the future? No, do not think so.

July Temperatures starting on the 18th and going to today(Keep it sort of short) In F and C.
101F 38C
105F 40C
107F 42C
101F 38C
98F 37C
97F 36C
101F 38C
101F 38C
98f 37C
103F 39C
105F 40C
103F 39C
106F 41C
106F 41C
107F 42C
104F 40C
102F 39C
103F 39C
104F 40C
104F 40C
101F 38C
108F 42C
101F 38C
100F 38C
105F 40C
104F 40C
106F 41C
101F 38C
91F 33C Rain and lightning.
Its about 22 miles or 35 Km To work. There are no bike lanes. The last person I knew who rode a bike to work spent 5 months in the Hospital after being hit by a drunk driver. Driver was an Illegal with no Insurance. I drive a 98 Honda Civic HX POS. But the AC works great.

CaptainPlanetsays...

regardless, if sexist people doubt u for sexist reasons, it doesn't matter what their gender is. Yes, it would be equally justified if a female told them that they could not succeed as women. duh

>> ^Yogi:

>> ^CaptainPlanet:
their own personal experiences with people doubting them. lets not just pass the buck on sexism
>> ^Yogi:
>>
... doesn't mean their own personal experiences with men doubting them aren't valid.


You think they would be complaining if just people doubted them? It was men...and they expressed concern that women were not smart enough to do something like this. That is the very DEFINITION of sexism, it doesn't matter if you don't want it to be.

ReverendTedsays...

The worst, worst possible thing you can invent is something that saves lives.
For the people whose lives will be saved, it'll be great; but for you, the inventor, the problem is the people whose lives aren't saved.

AeroMechanicalsays...

With all the buildup, I was expecting something much more clever. That said, if they reduce it in size by about a factor of five, which is probably not impossible, it could be pretty cool.

addendum:

After thinking about it, I would be interested to know the details of the activation mechanism. It would have to be fairly complex so as not to inflate when you hit a bump or make a sudden maneuver, but also be guaranteed to inflate even if you impact something head on and go over the handlebars. I got hit by a car head on once, and there wasn't much in the way of sudden impacts or acceleration until I was actually hitting the ground because I jumped to avoid getting tangled with the bike (didn't hit my head proper, but lost a few teeth). It could be freefall I suppose, but you sometimes get that cresting a hill. Presumably it's not for any sort of aggressive(ish) riding.

Ryjkyjsays...

>> ^bovan:

I assume that was bike lanes which werent separated from the road?
Also, here in Norway.. people let you across the street if you want across.. noticed when I lived in Geneva that it was pretty much like playing Frogger, so I'm aware that things may be more dangerous in other countries..
>> ^Ryjkyj:
I know two people personally who have been riding their bikes in the bike lane when a truck drove up behind them and smashed the back of their head with an extended mirror.



I live in Portland, Oregon.

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