A brand new helmet technology called RLS, which stands for Release Layer System, has been launched today, promising to dramatically reduce the risk of concussion in head impacts. Something any cyclist is potentially at risk of in the event of a crash.
RLS highlights the point that the brain, as a critical organ, is highly sensitive to rotational motion present in the majority of head impacts, and something that’s a particular risk to cyclists when crashing.
RLS technology, designed and manufactured in the UK, aims to reduce TBIs – traumatic brain injuries – and subsequent concussion risks by enabling panels located on the helmet’s shell to roll and then release when subjected to an impact.
What is RLS and how does it work?
RLS is a patented technology designed by founder Jamie Cook in East London. Cook himself was the co-founder of HEXR, the company that 3D printed helmets to match customers’ head shapes.
Cook noticed a colleague’s 3D printed helmets outer shell released in an accident, and (presumably after some testing and investigation) this movement was found to ‘significantly reduce rotational forces and risk of concussion’.
This releasing panel appears to have been the genesis of the idea; the company then developed it into the RLS design, which uses small, lightweight bearings sandwiched between the helmet’s shells.
The RSL helmet panels are connected to a polycarbonate layer where the small bearings are housed. When a significant impact is detected, these bearings roll in any direction, presumably determined by the impact forces, and allow the RLS panels to release. This movement allegedly allows harmful impact forces to be dissipated away from the brain, thus minimising the risk of concussion or traumatic brain injury.
RLS has already partnered with Canyon to bring the first RLS-equipped helmet to market. It seems the brand will partner with other helmet manufacturers to provide the tech at present, rather than releasing its own helmets, much like how MIPS (multi directional impact protection system) operates.
Canyon will launch the RLS spec Deflectr Trail helmet later this autumn, and further brands and adopters of the…
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