Motorcyclists To Get Wearable Airbags

jonerik writes "For the past hundred years or so motorcycle accidents have had an unfortunate potential for particularly horrific injuries, or worse. Improvements in safety gear have certainly been made in the past few decades, but in some ways those improvements have been balanced out by the tremendous speeds that modern bikes are capable of. According to this article from ABC News, though, Dainese, a protective sports clothing maker in Vicenza, Italy has developed a wearable airbag vest - called the D-Air - designed to cushion riders in the event of an accident. The D-Air vest features a tiny electronic computer referred to as the STM (which stands for Sensing, Triggering, and Memory), which was developed by an Israeli company called Merhav APP. According to the article, the STM contains sensors that monitor the bike's physical motion. 'The sensors onboard the STM will watch for telltale signs -- such as a sudden deceleration force of about ten times that of gravity -- that precede a collision. Once the computer determines an impending accident, the STM blasts the data to receiver in the vest to start the inflation process.' This site also features some pictures of the D-Air vest in action. Dainese plans to begin selling the D-Air vest in Europe in the spring, though American sales will have to wait since the U.S. Department of Transportation has yet to set standards for such a device."

Comments

What are we actually learning?

[Like2Byte]

What are we actually learning, as a society, from the usage and collision from motor vehicle accidents? How to crash better?

I'm all for improving safety and taking every measure possible to sustain life when there is an accident; however, we should all be mindful that no matter how many safety devices are incorporated into a device, one should still be mindful of their surroundings and take appropriate action *before* the situation degrades into an accident. Drivers need to be far more aware of the world, not just outside their front windshield, but from the viewpoint of all their windows. I've seen too many drivers cut off other vehicles, motorcycles more-so, than I care to recount.

Fortunately, here in the states, motorcycle drivers are required to take a safety course teaching the proper handling of a motorcycle in difficult situations. Unfortunately, drivers of SUVs aren't required to take these safety courses and end up killing a fair amount of their own citizens in smaller vehicles and motorcycles.

Point being: proper training improves everyones chances of returning home safely.

Re:Ouch!

[CKW]

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I call bullshit, and demand references.

Read the first 10 pages of google results for "abs increases stopping distance".

There is *nothing* in there that would lead anyone to conclude that removing ABS would be an advantage. Quite the opposite. The only time it increases your stopping distance is a) driver misuse (letting up on the brake due to feedback), b) snow covered road where the "piling up" of snow in front of the wheel helps.

Not having ABS results in the inability to steer and the potential for an undirected skid.

You're unjustified assertions are dangerous sir. I have a sister in law who believes vehemently that ABS is *DANGEROUS*, and who once chewed out a car rep about it. She's an idiot, and is just mad as hell that she couldn't remember to keep the brake down when the feedback came through the pedal, and that ABS ins't a magic pancea that can prevent all crashes. People like you will keep propogating this myth and disinformation, and it must stop here.
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Re:dead isn't always the worst outcome

[drinkypoo]

Of all the people he chose to plough into his was a doctor. She Saved his life at the scene but was paralyzed from the neck down.

How the hell did she save his life while she was paralyzed from the neck down?

This has been a public english announcement. Thank you. (beeeep)