A recyclable helmet inspired by woodpeckers has come out of
prototype to be a real product. Designed by Anirudha Surabhi,
the Kranium may arrive in the U.S. in 2013, according to Urban
Velo. Surabhi was inspired to design a helmet after a low-speed
bicycle accident that left him with a concussion, even though he
was wearing a helmet (it broke on . Surabhi searched for ways to
make a safer helmet, and took inspiration from the woodpecker,
one of the only animals that experiences severe head impacts on
a regular basis. The woodpecker’s beak and skull are joined
together, Surabhi notes, by a corrugated cartilage structure
that helps soften impact. Instead of the standard EPS (extruded
polystyrene) the helmet liner is made from laser-cut pieces of
recycled, dual-density honeycomb board – which is created from
paperboard. The liner is 15% lighter than an EPS board, which
reduces the potential carbon footprint of the helmet. The
honeycomb of the liner is designed to allow flexing, which helps
absorb impact, and the