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Safe and comforting bicycle helmet for African American girls/women with braids

This project has been secured to protect intellectual property.

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Our project aims to increase the awareness of bike safety for African American women by designing a helmet that will allow them to be safe and comfortable while bike riding.

Project Overview

There is currently an absence of bike helmets on the market that accommodate the traditional hairstyles of African American girls and women while also protecting all regions of the head. In order to accommodate their hair, women might buy a larger size helmet which results in a less snug fit and reduced protection. Wearing an incorrectly-fitting helmet upon impact increases the risk of skull fracture, subdural, subarachnoid, and/or intracerebral hemorrhage.
The goal of this project is to develop a first-of-its-kind prototype of a bicycle helmet that accommodates the traditional braided hairstyles of African American girls and women and also provides adequate protection of the head.

Team Picture

Top L to R: Haley Oswald and Anne Wong. Bottom L to R: Lily Jaeger and Jiacomo Beckman.
Top L to R: Haley Oswald and Anne Wong. Bottom L to R: Lily Jaeger and Jiacomo Beckman.

Contact Information

Team Members

  • Haley Oswald - Team Leader
  • Jiacomo Beckman - Communicator
  • Lily Jaeger - BSAC & BWIG
  • Anne Wong - BPAG

Advisor and Client

  • Dr. Darilis Suarez-Gonzalez - Advisor
  • Dr. Tracy Downs - Client

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