The EcoHelmet is a reusable, biodegradable and collapsible alternative to bulky helmets.
Credit: Isis Shiffer
Urban bike-sharing programs are booming in many cities, but most casual riders don't usually tote around a helmet. This means when they rent a bike, they often ride helmet-free, which can be a risky move in places were roads aren't designed to safely accommodate both cars and cyclists.
However, a novel design could make an affordable, collapsible, biodegradable helmet available from a curbside vending machine.
The EcoHelmet, designed by Isis Shiffer, is made entirely of cardboard, folds up accordion-style to about the size of a banana and is compact enough to fit in a laptop bag. It unfolds to fit just like a traditional helmet, cushioning the wearer's head with honeycomb-patterned paper that absorbs and distributes impacts, protecting cyclists from injury. [Top 10 Inventions that Changed the World] https://www.livescience.com/56338-dyson-award-cardboard-bike-helmet.html
