Improved Thermal and Acoustic Comfort for Motorcycle Helmets

Use of motorcycles helmets significantly reduces the risk of fatality or serious brain injury to riders in the event of a crash, but riders often do not wear helmets in warm weather because of thermal discomfort. We propose to develop an innovative ventilation and cooling system that will maintain a cool, dry environment inside the helmet while also meeting applicable safety standards. The key thermal technology innovations are: (1) increased internal ventilation at moderate- to high-speed travel enabled by a novel comfort padding design, and (2) a custom blower for adequate ventilation of the microclimate in the face during low-speed travel (near 0 MPH). In Phase I, we proved the feasibility of our approach through numerical modeling and laboratory tests. We will use the Phase I results to develop a detailed design concept for development and testing in Phase II. Under a concurrent Internal Research and Development (IRAD) effort, we also plan to develop an acoustic technology to reduce airflow and motorcycle noise while also preserving the ability to hear ambient sounds using a hear-through technology with active volume control.