GOOD Design Daily: Stinky Bike Helmet Alerts Rider When Cracked

A cracked helmet can spell big trouble for a cyclist. For that reason, it's important to replace your head gear once in a while, but how do you know when yours is intact or ready for a replacement? That's precisely the question behind the German researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM, who have developed a helmet that releases a pungent odor when it suffers a crack. Odors are strong when a crack is large and slighter when small.

The idea putting ones head inside a potentially stinky hunk of plastic might not be appealing. However, the polymers produced by Fraunhofer aim not only keep your noggin safe, but also prevent you from forking over cash when you've got a perfectly functional helmet at home.

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The technology is not yet ready for mass production, but it could one day find its way into all sorts of products, from hoses to home appliances.

Via PSFK