Woodpecker inspired cardboard bike helmet

Kranium is a bicycle helmet constructed from cardboard and designed by Royal College of Art student Anirudha Surabhi. Ani was inspired to create the Kranium following a nasty fall from his bicycle. Taking this experience as a cue to design a better helmet, he looked toward the animal kingdom, and the woodpecker in particular.

The designer was struck by the woodpecker’s ability to withstand repeated heavy impact, thanks to the bird’s unique corrugated cartilage structure which separates beak from skull – this concept gave rise to the Kranium’s honeycomb cardboard structure dubbed "Dual Density Honey Comb Board," or D2.

Rather than remaining completely rigid, the helmet is designed to allow a degree of flexing in order to help absorb impact force, of which it can withstand up to three times as much as typical expanded polystyrene (EPS) helmets, while remaining 15 percent lighter. 

Source: gizmag.comAdded: 14 December 2012