Headkayse Cycle Helmet
Headkayse Cycle Helmet
Just as bicycles are being put back in the garage as the winter weather kicks in, a new cycle helmet has landed on Indiegogo as the world’s first folding, soft but safe, multiple impact helmet.
Designed by UK-based product design consultancy Realise, the Headkayse Folding Cycle Helmet can be adapted to any head shape and includes a patented adjuster system, which makes it truly one-size-fits-all. For such a unique concept with safety at the heart of the design, 3D printing played an integral role in the development process in order to reach the final product now hoping to raise £60,000 in a month long crowdfunding campaign.
Andrew Redman, MD and Design Engineer at Realise, explained: “During development 3D printing allowed us to try out a range of webbing arrangements, which was critical to solving the flexible helmet problem. It then made it possible for us to create custom webbing components in Alumide SLS, which have been robust enough for daily use (which otherwise would have required expensive injection moulds). This enabled us to get 25 Beta prototypes out on the road for six months, proving the basic design and giving us the critical leaning and confidence to go for the launch.”
HeadKayse can be flattened by 70%.
The team has carried out 1000s of drop tests on samples and prototypes of its proprietary Enkayse material to ensure it exceeds the European cycle helmet standard (EN1078) and provides multiple and lower speed impact protection. Compared to traditional rigid cycle helmets, which use Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) and should be replaced after experiencing any impact, the Headkayse can survive extreme impact without any permanent damage. What's more, without any hinges or folding mechanisms, the helmet can be packed away and flattened by a massive 70% and to just 5cm wide.
More than 340 backers have already pledged their support for the campaign with the first tier of helmets priced at £55 already being snapped up but the innovation doesn’t stop there.
“Going forwards we're investigating 3D printing as a way to create the tooling for the early production versions," Andrew told TCT. “We're on a steep learning curve right now, and we're almost tripping over great ideas to improve the helmet design and manufacture. 3D printed tooling could allow us to iterate the design much more quickly and achieve an better result than if we have to commit to full scale production tooling now.”
The Headkayse is available from £65 on Indiegogo with 25 days to go and will later retail at £89.
