Sketches
Explanation of design
The first question I asked myself when beginning my research was, “why are helmets so important.” I quickly found out that head injuries mean brain injuries, both of which can be extremely detrimental. Wearing a helmet doesn’t imply that you can be reckless, but a helmet will definitely provide at least some protection for you face, head, and brain just in case you fall. (1) There are all sorts of different helmets for different activities. There are helmets designed for skateboarders, as well as motorcyclists, skiers, snowboarders, and for people that play sports. An estimated 1.6-3.8 million sports and recreation-related concussions occur in the United States annually. (2) Football has become a very common topic as far as concussion prevention goes. Football accounts for 60% of concussions. (2) Ten percent of all contact sport athletes sustain concussions yearly. (2) A traumatic brain injury occurs every 15 seconds, which proves that helmets are extremely important. Helmets play a key role in preventing serious brain injuries, and the specific design behind each helmet is very important.
For this project I researched helmets, and came up with my own design based on what I find most important. I decided to design a ski helmet. After some research, I came up with six of the most important parts of a helmet. Those parts include: the outer shell, liner, ventilation system, visor/shield, retention system, and comfort padding. The hard outer shell has to absorb and disperse the impact during an accident. Outer shells are generally made of thermoplastics or fibre-reinforced polymer. The ventilation system is important because it ensures that fresh air will be ducted into the helmet and that the exhaled air and humidity are vented out. Another important system is the retention system. It usually consists of something like a chin strap, that’s usually made out of some synthetic fiber. The synthetic fiber is normally attached to the helmet with strong metal rivets. The liner normally absorbs the rest of the impact that the outer shell didn’t absorb, so it’s a very important element that I want to include in my own personal design. The comfort padding ensures a good fit. The liner can oftentimes be considered to be uncomfortable, so the comfort padding is added to make the helmet not only more comfortable, but to also provide a better fit.
The key concepts mentioned on the website are: Acceleration, coefficient of friction, crumple zones, drag, inertia, g-force, friction, force, kinetic friction (or dynamic friction.) The outer shell is designed to be the crumple zone, meaning it’s okay if it gets damaged, and it will absorb most of the impact. Helmets account for possible accelerations that are involved in a crash. The coefficient of friction is the measurement of the level of friction embodied in a particular material. Drag is just another term for air resistance. Air resistance is common when an object is in flight. Inertia occurs when an object remains still or moves in a constant direction at a constant speed. G force is a force acting on a body as a result of acceleration or gravity. Acceleration due to gravity is 9.8m/s^2. Kinetic friction occurs when two objects are moving relative to each other and rub together (like a sled on the ground).
Sources:
1) “Bike Safety.” Edited by Steven Dowshen, KidsHealth, The Nemours Foundation, Feb. 2014, kidshealth.org/en/kids/bike-safety.html.
2) editors, BIRI. “What Is a Concussion?” What Is a Concussion? | Brain Injury Research Institute, ProtectTheBrain, 2017, www.protectthebrain.org/Brain-Injury-Research/What-is-a-Concussion-.aspx.
For this project I researched helmets, and came up with my own design based on what I find most important. I decided to design a ski helmet. After some research, I came up with six of the most important parts of a helmet. Those parts include: the outer shell, liner, ventilation system, visor/shield, retention system, and comfort padding. The hard outer shell has to absorb and disperse the impact during an accident. Outer shells are generally made of thermoplastics or fibre-reinforced polymer. The ventilation system is important because it ensures that fresh air will be ducted into the helmet and that the exhaled air and humidity are vented out. Another important system is the retention system. It usually consists of something like a chin strap, that’s usually made out of some synthetic fiber. The synthetic fiber is normally attached to the helmet with strong metal rivets. The liner normally absorbs the rest of the impact that the outer shell didn’t absorb, so it’s a very important element that I want to include in my own personal design. The comfort padding ensures a good fit. The liner can oftentimes be considered to be uncomfortable, so the comfort padding is added to make the helmet not only more comfortable, but to also provide a better fit.
The key concepts mentioned on the website are: Acceleration, coefficient of friction, crumple zones, drag, inertia, g-force, friction, force, kinetic friction (or dynamic friction.) The outer shell is designed to be the crumple zone, meaning it’s okay if it gets damaged, and it will absorb most of the impact. Helmets account for possible accelerations that are involved in a crash. The coefficient of friction is the measurement of the level of friction embodied in a particular material. Drag is just another term for air resistance. Air resistance is common when an object is in flight. Inertia occurs when an object remains still or moves in a constant direction at a constant speed. G force is a force acting on a body as a result of acceleration or gravity. Acceleration due to gravity is 9.8m/s^2. Kinetic friction occurs when two objects are moving relative to each other and rub together (like a sled on the ground).
Sources:
1) “Bike Safety.” Edited by Steven Dowshen, KidsHealth, The Nemours Foundation, Feb. 2014, kidshealth.org/en/kids/bike-safety.html.
2) editors, BIRI. “What Is a Concussion?” What Is a Concussion? | Brain Injury Research Institute, ProtectTheBrain, 2017, www.protectthebrain.org/Brain-Injury-Research/What-is-a-Concussion-.aspx.
Final 3D Model design
Key Concepts
ACCELERATION is a change in speed over a period of time; the higher the acceleration, the faster the change in speed. For example, if a car goes from 0 miles per hour (mph) to 60 mph in 2 seconds, it is a higher acceleration than if the car goes from 0 mph to 40 mph in 2 seconds. Acceleration is a rate of change of speed; NO change means NO acceleration. If something is moving at constant speed, it is NOT accelerating.
COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION is the measurement of the level of friction embodied in a particular material. The formula is μ = f/N, where μ is the coefficient of friction, f, is the amount of force that resists motion, and N is the normal force. Normal force is the force at which one surface is being pushed into another.
CRUMPLE ZONES are areas of an object designed to deform and crumple in an impact, as a means to absorb the energy of a collision. The fronts of most automobiles are designed as crumple zones to protect the passengers from frontal collisions.
DRAG is a term used in fluid dynamics that is sometimes referred to as air resistance or fluid resistance. Friction is one of multiple factors that influence the amount of drag encountered by a body moving through a fluid such as air or water.
INERTIA: when an object remains still or moves in a constant direction at a constant speed.
G FORCE: a force acting on a body as a result of acceleration or gravity, informally described in units of acceleration equal to one g.
FRICTION is a force that resists motion when two objects or surfaces come in contact.
FORCE causes masses to accelerate; they are influences that cause a change of movement, direction, or shape. When you press on an object, you are exerting a force on it. When a robot is accelerating, it does so because of the force its wheels exert on the floor. Force is measured in units such as pounds or newtons. For instance, the weight of an object is the force on the object due to gravity (accelerating the object towards the center of the earth).
KINETIC FRICTION (or dynamic friction) occurs when two objects are moving relative to each other and rub together (like a sled on the ground).
COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION is the measurement of the level of friction embodied in a particular material. The formula is μ = f/N, where μ is the coefficient of friction, f, is the amount of force that resists motion, and N is the normal force. Normal force is the force at which one surface is being pushed into another.
CRUMPLE ZONES are areas of an object designed to deform and crumple in an impact, as a means to absorb the energy of a collision. The fronts of most automobiles are designed as crumple zones to protect the passengers from frontal collisions.
DRAG is a term used in fluid dynamics that is sometimes referred to as air resistance or fluid resistance. Friction is one of multiple factors that influence the amount of drag encountered by a body moving through a fluid such as air or water.
INERTIA: when an object remains still or moves in a constant direction at a constant speed.
G FORCE: a force acting on a body as a result of acceleration or gravity, informally described in units of acceleration equal to one g.
FRICTION is a force that resists motion when two objects or surfaces come in contact.
FORCE causes masses to accelerate; they are influences that cause a change of movement, direction, or shape. When you press on an object, you are exerting a force on it. When a robot is accelerating, it does so because of the force its wheels exert on the floor. Force is measured in units such as pounds or newtons. For instance, the weight of an object is the force on the object due to gravity (accelerating the object towards the center of the earth).
KINETIC FRICTION (or dynamic friction) occurs when two objects are moving relative to each other and rub together (like a sled on the ground).