Yeah - it's totally awesome a but few things to note to be the devils advocate.
1) It cost around $10 million to get it to this point - that's OK as they have got it working but it's a significant capital spend.
2) It cost $600 USD approx for 1 helmet
3) Once it's deployed, time for another $600 USD - it's a one-use helmet (hey it does save your life)
If they can get the price point down it would be totally awesome and they probably will with time. But until it provides a greater flexion point than the good old $20 bike helmet - it's probably not going to sell to governments etc who would be a huge market for this.
A fashionable bike helmet isn't really "saving the world" by any stretch of the imagination, but it's a nice video.
Anyway, airbag vests already exist for motorcycles... There are various designs, protecting the body and the neck. I've never owned one, but it looks like they typically operate using a cable which is attached to the motorcycle and a CO2 cartridge. Cost is similar, maybe $500, and they are usually reusable assuming they aren't actually tweaked in the crash.
[+] [-] timmyd|13 years ago|reply
1) It cost around $10 million to get it to this point - that's OK as they have got it working but it's a significant capital spend. 2) It cost $600 USD approx for 1 helmet 3) Once it's deployed, time for another $600 USD - it's a one-use helmet (hey it does save your life)
If they can get the price point down it would be totally awesome and they probably will with time. But until it provides a greater flexion point than the good old $20 bike helmet - it's probably not going to sell to governments etc who would be a huge market for this.
[+] [-] caf|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] owyn|13 years ago|reply
Anyway, airbag vests already exist for motorcycles... There are various designs, protecting the body and the neck. I've never owned one, but it looks like they typically operate using a cable which is attached to the motorcycle and a CO2 cartridge. Cost is similar, maybe $500, and they are usually reusable assuming they aren't actually tweaked in the crash.
[+] [-] js2|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] laserDinosaur|13 years ago|reply
Errr...what? I know it was a girl who said that, but jesus that sounds like a sexist thing to say.