Squishy bike helmet from Newton-Rider hardens on impact

The Newton-Rider bike helmet is just 16 mm thick and consists of pads are composed of a proprietary blend of viscoelastic and non-Newtonian materials. In the event of a crash, the pads become hard, absorbing much of the energy that is delivered to the head.

“Viscoelastic” materials refer to substances that exhibit both viscous and elastic characteristics, while “non-Newtonian” refers to fluids that temporarily become more viscous (and thus harder) when subjected to stress. As a result, the bike helmet weighing about 450g is somewhat squishy and pliable during regular riding. And because there are spaces between the pads, the Newton-Rider as a whole can stretch and bend, to conform to the contours of the rider’s head. It can also be folded up and stuffed in a bag.

Newton-Rider is a new bike helmet that promises to bring functionality, extra convenience, ultra-durability and looks to the traditional bicycle helmet, which hasn’t seen any significant improvement in the past decade. Its materials compile with EN 1078 and CPSC safety standards. After the collision, the material reverts back to a semi-soft shape because it’s not damaged by it, so it means the helmet is reusable. This doesn’t happen with polystyrene-lined helmets, since the polystyrene breaks when absorbing the energy of the collision.

Detailed information https://www.newton-rider.com