Smelly helmet tells rider when it’s damaged

Here’s a beaut bit of news from The Sunday Times in Britain.

Coming off a motorbike is painful enough, but having to then scrap an expensive helmet leaves a bruise in the wallet as well. The need to take this precaution could soon be over with the development of helmets that let you know when they need replacing.

Researchers have made microcapsules that give off a pungent smell when they break open. These are put into the helmet’s foam and crack during any serious impact that could damage the interior of the helmet.

“If cracks form, smelly substances are released,” says Christof Koplin, a scientist at the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials in Germany.

Koplin says the technology can also be used for cycle helmets. “Cyclists often replace helmets unnecessarily because they cannot tell if they are damaged,” says Koplin. “The capsules eliminate this problem.”

The foam in helmets is designed to compress and crack in an accident, absorbing the impact before it reaches the rider’s skull. Once it has compressed, it loses its impact-absorbing capability, so manufacturers advise riders to replace their headgear after any serious crash — even if the helmet appears undamaged.

I offered this item to some friends for comment, and got responses neatly sorted by sex.

“Sounds good,” said the males.

“Urrgh! Smelly hair!” said the females.

What do you think?

Peter “The Bear” Thoeming