In my previous article on cycling helmets, I outlined the main findings of the Transport Research Laboratory's comprehensive review of the effectiveness of helmets in the event of an on-road accident.

Whilst the report concluded that cycle helmets would be expected to be effective at reducing the frequency and severity of an injury in a range of accident conditions, one of the main findings of the report was the suggestion of an increased risk of rotational head injury with a helmet compared to without a helmet.

Conventional helmets work well against direct blows, but are less effective when the impact comes from off-centre, and it's these rotational injuries which pose the greatest risk of brain damage. Now it seems that cycle helmet technology is poised to try and address this risk.

The British inventor of new motorbike helmet technology designed to protect against rotational injuries is understood to be developing a cycling version for sale within a year.

The Phillips Head Protection System lets helmets mimic the way the scalp moves over the human skull when subjected to a glancing blow – by putting a 'scalp' on the helmet.

A gel-based synthetic membrane is added to the surface of the helmet, which when a cyclist hits their head, slides over the helmet's hard shell, reducing friction and allowing the rider's head to slide across the road, rather than twisting.  

A range of motorbike helmets have already been produced using SuperSkin, which research has found reduces the risk of intra-cerebral shearing – rotational skull movement that tears blood vessels and nerve fibres inside the brain – by almost 70%.

It's believed to be most significant advance in helmet design for more than 40 years.

The technology won't work with multi-vented cycle helmets, but could be adapted for helmets with a full outer shell, like the latest commuting and full-face styles. The new helmets are slightly heavier, at around 50g more for an average 5kg helmet.

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