Once upon a time there was a bike helmet that dreamed of being something more. Tired of being left in a corner or carried around like a bulky accessory, he decided to reinvent himself. And here it is CASCAD: the helmet that protects your head during the day and watches over your bicycle at night. A modern fairy tale? No, a reality.
The genesis of an idea
This story begins at the University of Technology of Compiègne, France, where two students, Marin Turpaud e Oriane Frère, set out to tackle not one, but two of modern cycling's most pressing issues: cyclist safety and bike theft. The result? a bike helmet that does more than just protect your head.
How does CASCAD work? I tell you this with a “vision”. You arrive at your destination after a nice ride. Instead of carrying your helmet with you or leaving it unattended, you turn it into a high-tech anti-theft device for your bike. As? Easy.
- Place the helmet on the bike saddle, and unlock the mechanism with your smartphone.
- A hidden cable unwinds from the helmet. Secure the cable to the bicycle and to a fixed point.
- Activate the lock with an NFC key.
Voila! Your bike helmet has become a burglar-proof padlock that you can move right away, you rascal.
Security bike helmet
The surprises don't end there. CASCAD is not just a passive anti-theft device. The talented inventors of this bike helmet let us know that:
- Send notifications to your phone in case of tampering attempts.
- It can track the location of the bicycle in case of theft.
- Reduces up to 90% the risk of neurological injuries in the event of an accident.
It's like having a personal bodyguard for you and your two wheels.
The challenge of adoption
In Europe, there are only 4 countries (France, Spain, Austria, Slovenia) where helmets are mandatory for cyclists, and in any case only up to a certain age: 12, 16, 12 and 14 years respectively. Many avoid wearing it, complaining about its bulk, and this unfortunately becomes an indirect cause of accidents, including fatal ones.
CASCAD tackles this problem brilliantly: when it's not protecting your head, it's protecting your bike. It's a 2-in-1 that you can't afford to leave at home.
The potential impact
Let's consider the numbers:
- In 2023, they were sold in Europe 11,7 million bicycles.
- In the same year, 2000 cyclists died in fatal accidents, and tens of thousands have suffered serious injuries in accidents.
- Every day, always in Europe, an average of 8200 bicycles are stolen.
CASCAD could significantly reduce these alarming statistics.
From the prototype to the production of the bike helmet
At the moment, CASCAD is still a prototype. But his selection for the prestigious James Dyson Award it could be the springboard towards mass production. The inventors hope to attract the attention of industrialists ready to invest in the safety of cyclists.
We hope so, friends, because this really seems like a simple and good idea to us.
