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9 Jun 2015

º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ student puts safety first with his prototype for an ‘intelligent’ polo helmet

Image: ARMISâ„¢ (Robin Spicer)

A º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ student’s prototype for a safer polo helmet – complete with a built-in crash sensor – could save lives by alerting emergency responders to impacts and falls that may cause head injuries. 

Robin Spicer, 23, a final year Industrial Design and Technology undergraduate from Northamptonshire, has already attracted the attention of leading market retailers and manufacturers with his polo helmet redesign – the ARMIS™ Polo Helmet. It will be exhibited to the public at the º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Design School Show from Friday 12 June to Monday 15 June, 10am until 5pm. 

The unique design contains a ‘crash sensor’ which Robin plans to link to a smartphone app via long range bluetooth. His overall aim is to develop the technology to alert emergency responders to falls and impacts that may require medical attention due to unseen, non-tangible concussions, as well as sending GPS coordinates of where the incident has occurred when the rider is training alone. 

The prototype was created using a 3D printer and developed for production, comprising of a crumple zone made of expanded polystyrene, a flexible peak, and a Multi-directional Impact Protection System (MIPS) that moves inside the helmet mimicking the brain’s own protection system. The low friction layer reduces the amount of rotational acceleration to the head and minimises the risk of suffering a serious brain injury. 

Robin, a polo player since the age of six, said the helmet has been designed with the British Standards in mind, incorporating safety clips, streamlined air vents and a double layered carbon fibre shell to prevent penetrations. Robin was awarded a £350 bursary from the James Dyson Foundation to help bring his project to life as part of his end of year degree show. 

He said: “I’ve fallen off countless times while playing polo and have been knocked unconscious three times, with the most recent incident lasting for over 20 minutes. But I was straight back up onto the horse and playing polo again in a couple of days, which I really shouldn’t have been. 

“With my polo helmet design, I hope to change attitudes and behaviour towards safety in the sport and encourage polo players to seek proper medical attention when suffering a dangerous head impact. 

“Even though the rate of injury in polo is low, the severity rate is extremely high. If I can influence other manufacturers and companies to have a re-think about the design of their polo helmets and look at making them safer, then I have achieved my goal.” 

Professor Tracy Bhamra, Dean of º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Design School, added: “Robin’s ARMIS™ Polo Helmet is a fantastic design which has really caught the eye of staff, students and businesspeople. The fact that Robin was able to go from a sketch to such a well developed, high quality prototype in just eight months, shows how dedicated and committed he has been to the course and his future success. 

“The Design School Show is a brilliant opportunity to meet Robin and other talented students and this year – for the first time – we are proud to be exhibiting work from our Ergonomics and Design Ergonomics  students.” 

For more information about Robin’s design, click here or email robinspicer@hotmail.co.uk

For further details on the Design School Show, click here.

Notes for editors

Article reference number: PR 15/111

º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.

It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, putting it among the best universities in the world, and was named University of the Year in the What Uni Student Choice Awards 2015.º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and is in the top 10 in England for research intensity. It was 2nd in the 2015 THE Student Experience Survey and was named Sports University of the Year 2013-14 by The Times and Sunday Times. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.

In 2015 the University will open an additional academic campus in London’s new innovation quarter. º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ London, based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, will offer postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities.

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