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Coming soon to a cycle helmet near you? Boeing and General Motors-owned firm says its microlattice pads makes helmets better at absorbing shocks

HRL Laboratories says material 27 per cent more effective than expanded polysterene

A company co-owned by Boeing and General Motors which develops microlattice materials has claimed that new shock-absorbing pads it has produced significantly outperform those currently used in products such as cycling helmets.

Malibu, California-based HRL Laboratories says that tests suggest that the pads, made from an architected elastomeric material, were more efficient in absorbing energy by up to 27 per cent compared to “current best-performing expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam when sustaining a single impact.”

Publishing its findings in the current edition of the journal Matter, it says that when subjected to repeated impacts, the pads provided “up to 48 per cent improved absorption efficiency over the state-of-the-art vinyl nitrile foam.”

The material is also said to provide a cooler experience for helmet-wearers due to its open-celled architected structure, which the company says resembles the structure of the Eiffel Tower.

That’s because the microlattice allows air to circulate freely, in contrast to typical current helmets where a hard shell covers closed-foam padding, thereby trapping heat and sweat.

Besides potential for use in football, military and bicycle helmets, the company says that the material could also have applications in areas such as packaging and vehicle interiors.

The paper was funded by HeadHealthTECH Challenge III, HRL Laboratories, LLC, and the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency.

HRL researcher and co-author Eric Clough said: “The best competing architected pads to date have maximum energy absorption efficiencies up to 44 per cent for a single impact.

“Our best performing microlattice pads had maximum energy absorption efficiencies of nearly 58%.

“Also, the competitor lattice-based pads are irreversibly smashed after sustaining a single impact,” he added, “whereas, our elastomeric microlattice pads continue to efficiently absorb the shock of multiple repeated impacts.”

Explaining how the technology works, Clough said: “Microlattice is composed of solid polymer struts and air. Unlike foam it has an ordered architecture that enables improved performance in airflow, energy absorption, stiffness, and strength.

“Under high impact, microlattice stiffens to absorb energy and significantly reduces acceleration and force transmitted to the wearer.”

The pads are produced using a process called light casting, in which ultraviolet light is passed through a template onto liquid resin made according to a special formula.

“With light casting we can make a set of pads for a helmet in under a couple minutes,” Clough explained. “Methods such as stereolithography 3D printing would take a much longer.”

The company has licensed its microlattice technology portfolio to VICIS, a spinout business of the University of Washington and whose $950 Zero1 helmet is widely used in NFL and college football, a sport in which there has been a strong focus recently on the effects of head injuries on athletes and how to reduce them.

In 2011, HRL Laboratories announced a metallic microlattice developed jointly with researchers at University of California, Irvine and Caltech.

Microlattice dandelion (picture credit HRL)

Composed 99.99 per cent of air, which makes it 100 times lighter than Styrofoam, it was recognised in 2016 as the world’s lightest metal by Guinness World Records.

When it was unveiled, a publicity shot emphasised its lightness by showing it resting on top of a dandelion in seed – but its strength makes it suitable for applications in the aerospace and automotive sectors, amongst others.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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18 comments

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Gus T | 4 years ago
4 likes

And we're supposed to believe the company that said 767 Max's were safe?????/

Avatar
Pilot Pete replied to Gus T | 4 years ago
0 likes

Gus T wrote:

And we're supposed to believe the company that said 767 Max's were safe?????/

That’ll be the 737Max then...

PP

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Xenophon2 | 4 years ago
4 likes

ANY article using the word 'helmet' or a combination of 'cars', 'cyclists', 'pedestrians' and 'accident' or 'close pass' immediately draws out the pathetic legion of screeching fanatics in need to vent some frustration after their wives told them for the millionth time to shut up already and put the trash out.  Road.cc carefully nurtures them and caters to their every need because they represent lots of lovely clicks.

 

 

 

 

Avatar
Rick_Rude replied to Xenophon2 | 4 years ago
3 likes
Xenophon2 wrote:

ANY article using the word 'helmet' or a combination of 'cars', 'cyclists', 'pedestrians' and 'accident' or 'close pass' immediately draws out the pathetic legion of screeching fanatics in need to vent some frustration after their wives told them for the millionth time to shut up already and put the trash out.  Road.cc carefully nurtures them and caters to their every need because they represent lots of lovely clicks.

 

 

 

 

U WOT M8?!?

Avatar
dave atkinson replied to Xenophon2 | 4 years ago
5 likes
Xenophon2 wrote:

ANY article using the word 'helmet' or a combination of 'cars', 'cyclists', 'pedestrians' and 'accident' or 'close pass' immediately draws out the pathetic legion of screeching fanatics in need to vent some frustration after their wives told them for the millionth time to shut up already and put the trash out.  Road.cc carefully nurtures them and caters to their every need because they represent lots of lovely clicks.

wherever you stand on helmets*, surely the news that they could be made half as effective again using a different construction is interesting? If it's not, you don't have to waste your time reading about it, or commenting on it. after all that'll just make us do it more, according to your logic.

*you shouldn't stand on helmets

Avatar
Philh68 | 4 years ago
1 like

Coming from the land of mandatory helmets, I welcome any improvement they can make to comfort and resilience. Now if only they can make helmets look like something you’d want to wear instead of a bunch of bananas…

Avatar
ConcordeCX replied to Philh68 | 4 years ago
6 likes

Philh68 wrote:

Coming from the land of mandatory helmets, I welcome any improvement they can make to comfort and resilience. Now if only they can make helmets look like something you’d want to wear instead of a bunch of bananas…

nothing wrong with wearing a bunch of bananas

 

Avatar
Philh68 replied to ConcordeCX | 4 years ago
5 likes

ConcordeCX wrote:

nothing wrong with wearing a bunch of bananas

 

thats a fruit salad, without all the other fruit you just look bananas! And everyone knows bananas are softer than your melon…

 

Avatar
HarryTrauts replied to Philh68 | 4 years ago
4 likes

Philh68 wrote:

Coming from the land of mandatory helmets, I welcome any improvement they can make to comfort and resilience. Now if only they can make helmets look like something you’d want to wear instead of a bunch of bananas…

"Do you come from the land of mandatory helmets? Where women glow and men plunder?"  Not quite as catchy as the original.

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CyclingInBeastMode | 4 years ago
0 likes

Gridiron helmets keep being redesigned, what however is having more effect for player safety is changing the rules, stopping those presenting the harm from doing what they did before and massively penalising transgressors such that they change how they behave.

THIRTY % drop in concussions since the new rules! https://www.france24.com/en/20190124-nfl-concussions-show-sharp-drop-aft...

However even with all the rule changes, players simply cannot get their helmets out of the way when making tackles or even just trying to shoulder charge a player as the helmets circumference means that's often the first thing that contacts in the upper body area, this more often than not leads to helmet to helmet contact.

Helmets still means players act more recklessly than they would do without the helmets, massively so and the sport will continue to have serious CTE problems going forward but at least they identified what makes by far the biggest difference to reducing the problem and that is not some special foam.

Avatar
Sniffer replied to CyclingInBeastMode | 4 years ago
3 likes

CyclingInBeastMode wrote:

Gridiron helmets keep being redesigned, what however is having more effect for player safety is changing the rules, stopping those presenting the harm from doing what they did before and massively penalising transgressors such that they change how they behave.

THIRTY % drop in concussions since the new rules! https://www.france24.com/en/20190124-nfl-concussions-show-sharp-drop-aft...

However even with all the rule changes, players simply cannot get their helmets out of the way when making tackles or even just trying to shoulder charge a player as the helmets circumference means that's often the first thing that contacts in the upper body area, this more often than not leads to helmet to helmet contact.

Helmets still means players act more recklessly than they would do without the helmets, massively so and the sport will continue to have serious CTE problems going forward but at least they identified what makes by far the biggest difference to reducing the problem and that is not some special foam.

Do rugby league in a comment and then I'll know I can believe in re-incarnation.

Avatar
CyclingInBeastMode replied to Sniffer | 4 years ago
0 likes

Sniffer wrote:

CyclingInBeastMode wrote:

Gridiron helmets keep being redesigned, what however is having more effect for player safety is changing the rules, stopping those presenting the harm from doing what they did before and massively penalising transgressors such that they change how they behave.

THIRTY % drop in concussions since the new rules! https://www.france24.com/en/20190124-nfl-concussions-show-sharp-drop-aft...

However even with all the rule changes, players simply cannot get their helmets out of the way when making tackles or even just trying to shoulder charge a player as the helmets circumference means that's often the first thing that contacts in the upper body area, this more often than not leads to helmet to helmet contact.

Helmets still means players act more recklessly than they would do without the helmets, massively so and the sport will continue to have serious CTE problems going forward but at least they identified what makes by far the biggest difference to reducing the problem and that is not some special foam.

Do rugby league in a comment and then I'll know I can believe in re-incarnation.

What are you on about?

Avatar
Sniffer replied to CyclingInBeastMode | 4 years ago
4 likes

CyclingInBeastMode wrote:

Sniffer wrote:

CyclingInBeastMode wrote:

Gridiron helmets keep being redesigned, what however is having more effect for player safety is changing the rules, stopping those presenting the harm from doing what they did before and massively penalising transgressors such that they change how they behave.

THIRTY % drop in concussions since the new rules! https://www.france24.com/en/20190124-nfl-concussions-show-sharp-drop-aft...

However even with all the rule changes, players simply cannot get their helmets out of the way when making tackles or even just trying to shoulder charge a player as the helmets circumference means that's often the first thing that contacts in the upper body area, this more often than not leads to helmet to helmet contact.

Helmets still means players act more recklessly than they would do without the helmets, massively so and the sport will continue to have serious CTE problems going forward but at least they identified what makes by far the biggest difference to reducing the problem and that is not some special foam.

Do rugby league in a comment and then I'll know I can believe in re-incarnation.

What are you on about?

Just playing BTBS bingo.  Ticked off 'gridiron', still need Rugby League and sonny and then I can call house.

Avatar
burtthebike replied to Sniffer | 4 years ago
4 likes

Sniffer wrote:

Do rugby league in a comment and then I'll know I can believe in re-incarnation.

As Ken Dodd said, who wants to come back as a tin of condensed milk?

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Hirsute | 4 years ago
3 likes

Surely the answer is a michelin man suit made of this product ?

Avatar
Morat replied to Hirsute | 4 years ago
2 likes

hirsute wrote:

Surely the answer is a High-Vis michelin man suit made of this product ?

 

How could you be so reckless? tsk tsk  3

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giff77 | 4 years ago
7 likes

And they're off!!!!

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burtthebike | 4 years ago
7 likes

How can you improve on something universally acknowledged to be 100% effective already?  I've lost count of the number of lives saved by cycle helmets, there must the ten thousand of those "helmet saved my life" stories.  So how can this be even better than something already so effective?  Why would you waste money improving something already 85% effective?*

 

 

* Might be some irony there too.

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