SuperSkin saves your neck
2009-04-17 12:04
Although recent times have seen a steady increase of active safety equipment on bikes (think ABS, traction control and even airbags), passive safety equipment hasn’t always kept up with the pace.
New additions like our very own Leatt Brace neck protector have been keeping matters exciting, and helmets are much stronger, quieter and safer than they were 30 years ago. But there has been no revolution in helmet technology since the helmet first went full-face. Now Belgian company Lazer is hoping to change that with a helmet it has dubbed the SuperSkin.
It works like this. When a motorcyclist collides with the side of a car, his/her helmet doesn’t merely bounce off the vehicle. In a matter of milliseconds (and at very high speeds) the object of collision actually causes the helmet to rotate rapidly in much the same way you get a ball to roll by skimming your fingers over the top.
Needless to say these rotational forces can cause serious and irreparable damage to the brain. So although a decently engineered helmet will help protect against impact, it does nothing to prevent or reduce these rotational forces.
Enter the SuperSkin. The concept behind this new helmet is based on the same principle that helps your scalp protect your precious head: by allowing a limited amount of slip. Created as a thin film-like membrane, the SuperSkin covers a traditionally shaped helmet. A lubricant between the membrane and helmet allows the film to move slightly, just like your scalp does.
The SuperSkin was created by the Belgian helmet manufacturer in conjunction with a British doctor, Ken Phillips. According to Dr Phillips, a helmet fitted with a SuperSkin membrane reduces rotational spinning by more than 50%, and as a result reduces intracerebral injury by 67.5%.
