Angular Acceleration = Rotational Force
Angular acceleration contributes more than linear acceleration to concussive injuries, diffuse axonal injuries, and subdural hematomas. Angular acceleration is the leading cause of rotational brain injuries.
The focal point of traditional helmet design has always been directed at providing protection against linear impact energy test compliance. Helmets are tested to standards by dropping them in a vertical plane on very complex test equipment in a controlled environment. This testing assures the public that a level of compliance is achieved before a particular helmet makes it to market. While this is an excellent control method, impacts in a ‘real-world’ accident are in fact much different, and the impact will almost certainly be an oblique angle strike. This means the helmet will impact an object or the ground at an angle greater or less than 90 degrees to the center of mass (the brain) within the helmet. During this event (impact), angular acceleration is transferred to the brain. 6D’s goal is to reduce this angular acceleration transfer thereby reducing the potential of brain injury. ‘ODS™’ achieves this goal. In some test cases, the 6D ATR-1 off-road helmet reduces resultant angular acceleration over traditional helmet design by over 80%, resulting in a truly revolutionary helmet.