THE LITTLE YELLOW DOT
The most important accessory for winter sports and bike sports is a helmet. Several different models by the most renowned bike and ski equipment brands have one detail in common: a little yellow dot on the helmet shell. This dot is the symbol for Multidirectional Impact Protection System - MIPS for short. The story behind the yellow dot started in 1996 when Hans von Holst and Peter Halldin decided they wanted to reduce athletes' risk of brain injuries.
BASED ON REAL LIFE
The two men were of the opinion that brain trauma caused by rotational forces hadn't been investigated enough and that there was a need for a mechanism that would protect the head in those cases when it wasn't hit from the front but from an angle. Angled impact is the most common cause of brain injury. As part of their joint research, Holst, a Swedish neurosurgeon dedicated to researching head injuries, and Halldin, a researcher at the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, began to emulate real accidents. During a real-life impact, a human head doesn't land straight but tilted. This unleashes rotational forces that have a damaging effect on the brain. Thanks to the results of their experiments, it didn't take long for Holst and Halldin to question the efficiency of traditional helmet technology, which was developed based on the assumption of straight head-on impact.
MODELLED AFTER THE HUMAN BRAIN
New, innovative technology should provide protection, no matter at what angle the impact occurs. The researchers realised that the best example of such a protective mechanism was the brain itself: it's surrounded by a low-friction buffer zone filled with cerebrospinal fluid that absorbs part of the energy exerted during an impact. MIPS is essentially a low-friction layer between the helmet and the brain that imitates the brain's own protection mechanism. The MIPS layer absorbs a large amount of energy during an angled impact, greatly reducing the amount that the brain itself has to deal with. But, how does it work? At the point of contact, the helmet moves independently to the head, providing a significant amount of protection against rotational forces.
MIPS AND ITS PARTNERS
The laws and regulations about helmets were updated in light of the results of long years of research and the development of revolutionary protective technology. Since testing its first prototype back in 2000, MIPS has entered in partnerships with 80% of the world's leading helmet manufacturers. This means that you can enjoy MIPS protection from helmets used in all kinds of sports: cycling, skiing, biking, car racing and many more. Even the construction and manufacturing industries are making use of MIPS in their safety helmets.
AT A GLANCE
Creators: Hans von Holst & Peter Halldin
MIPS stands for: Multidirectional Impact Protection System
Company headquarters: Täby, Sweden
Find out more on: http://mipsprotection.com/
Sport categories: cycling, winter sports
Partner brands on Keller Sports: Giro, POC, Rudy Project, Sweet Protection, Oakley, Smith
REASONS FOR CHOOSING MIPS
Rotational forces that can lead to brain injury are minimised Used by 80% of the world's leading helmet manufacturers No compromise on comfort Developed by a world-class brain surgeon and pioneering researcher
The most important accessory for winter sports and bike sports is a helmet. Several different models by the most renowned bike and ski equipment brands have one detail in common: a little yellow dot on the helmet shell. This dot is the symbol for Multidirectional Impact Protection System - MIPS for short. The story behind the yellow dot started in 1996 when Hans von Holst and Peter Halldin decided they wanted to reduce athletes' risk of brain injuries.
BASED ON REAL LIFE
The two men were of the opinion that brain trauma caused by rotational forces hadn't been investigated enough and that there was a need for a mechanism that would protect the head in those cases when it wasn't hit from the front but from an angle. Angled impact is the most common cause of brain injury. As part of their joint research, Holst, a Swedish neurosurgeon dedicated to researching head injuries, and Halldin, a researcher at the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, began to emulate real accidents. During a real-life impact, a human head doesn't land straight but tilted. This unleashes rotational forces that have a damaging effect on the brain. Thanks to the results of their experiments, it didn't take long for Holst and Halldin to question the efficiency of traditional helmet technology, which was developed based on the assumption of straight head-on impact.
MODELLED AFTER THE HUMAN BRAIN
New, innovative technology should provide protection, no matter at what angle the impact occurs. The researchers realised that the best example of such a protective mechanism was the brain itself: it's surrounded by a low-friction buffer zone filled with cerebrospinal fluid that absorbs part of the energy exerted during an impact. MIPS is essentially a low-friction layer between the helmet and the brain that imitates the brain's own protection mechanism. The MIPS layer absorbs a large amount of energy during an angled impact, greatly reducing the amount that the brain itself has to deal with. But, how does it work? At the point of contact, the helmet moves independently to the head, providing a significant amount of protection against rotational forces.
MIPS AND ITS PARTNERS
The laws and regulations about helmets were updated in light of the results of long years of research and the development of revolutionary protective technology. Since testing its first prototype back in 2000, MIPS has entered in partnerships with 80% of the world's leading helmet manufacturers. This means that you can enjoy MIPS protection from helmets used in all kinds of sports: cycling, skiing, biking, car racing and many more. Even the construction and manufacturing industries are making use of MIPS in their safety helmets.
AT A GLANCE
Creators: Hans von Holst & Peter Halldin
MIPS stands for: Multidirectional Impact Protection System
Company headquarters: Täby, Sweden
Find out more on: http://mipsprotection.com/
Sport categories: cycling, winter sports
Partner brands on Keller Sports: Giro, POC, Rudy Project, Sweet Protection, Oakley, Smith
REASONS FOR CHOOSING MIPS