Road safety is a very important issue in the west. People cannot imagine breaking traffic light signals, not responding to street etiquette or not taking proper precautions while on the road. Catering to this need, an Indian student from the UK's Royal College of Art has designed a bicycle helmet that is entirely made from cardboard. What came about as an inspiration was a woodpecker!
THOUGH IT sounds flimsy but the helmet is reported to absorb three times the impact of a collision than the regular helmets. Anirudha Surabhi, the Indian student, was inspired by the woodpecker, who continuously pecks at wood without damaging its beak. The bird is unable to repeatedly peck away because of its corrugated cartilage structure that separates the beak from the skull.
The helmet designed by Surabhi works on the same principle. The cardboard with which the head gear is made is called Dual Density Honey Comb Board, which allows the helmet to flex and absorb collisions. It also has an additional benefit - it is water repellent and keeps out sweat.
Seems like Surabhi has cracked the design for a near-perfect helmet. Considering the features of the new design, one hopes that it is marketed in countries with a heavy density of two-wheel drivers.