An Impact Diverting Helmet-Phase II

The purpose of this study is to enhance the helmet performance by introducing an external layer on the top of outer shell. This additional layer not only can divert partially/entirely an imposed impact load, but also it can improve its shock absorbing capacity during a crash. The previous MITACS Accelerate Internship resulted in four new ideas for reducing impact injurious effects on wearer’s head. The proposed designs are thin layers that can be easily attached to the outer shell of helmets and will be activated when an impact load exceeds a certain limit. Preliminary tests have been done on all four designs, and the results showed a considerable improvement in impact mitigation. In addition, a standard testbed is built to perform tests on sample helmets. The next phase of this project will be testing the conventional helmets with and without adding each of the four impact diverting layers. By performing standard tests, using a high speed motion capturing camera and advanced sensors, it is possible to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed ideas. By reviewing the results from different stages of the project, the techniques to improve the helmet design will be patented and then transferred to Innovata Labs.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Farid Golnaraghi

Student:

Iman Ebrahimi

Partner:

Innovata Labs

Discipline:

Engineering - mechanical

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

Simon Fraser University