As Spring erupts across the country millions of tiny particles begin to waft through the air as the plant kingdom celebrates our hay fever season.
It can be hell for bike riders who find they have an allergic reaction to pollen, and on high pollen count days must stay indoors.
Now, an English product design student thinks he may have an answer to the healthy air problem that pollen and other particulates present to bike riders.
Nathan Hassanali has invented a helmet that has mask built into the face shield.
The 'Airban' advanced helmet draws in air, filters it, and then circulates pure air onto the fixed face shield that’s at a slight distance from the face.
As the rider keeps moving forward, the air passes through the front vents on the front and enters the air channel. Simultaneously, air is drawn from the rear via a small brushless fan that projects the air to the breathable position.
Air entering the Airban helmet from both these channels is filtered through a HEPA filter which removes 99.97% of 0.3 μm particulates. The activated carbon layer eliminates any smoke, odours, or other pollutants, providing the rider with clean air.
The mechanism is power by a battery in the helmet, or by a magnetically connected cable that connects to a battery pack carried on the bike or rider.
The fan is linked to a smart phone by Bluetooth and speed and locality information from GPS can adjust air volume depending on whether the bike is stopped at an intersection, or zipping along the road creating its own airflow.
There is no word on when or if the helmet will enter commercial production.