[TusharK]

Airbag Inside Sweden AB has developed a prototype of what is said to be the world's first airbag jeans for motorcyclists.



16 years ago, Moses Shahrivar designed his first pair of motorcycle jeans with a protective leather lining for Harley-Davidson. Shahrivar's company has now come up with a pair of jeans that has airbags integrated inside the legs.

Here's how it works - the jeans are tethered to the bike and if the rider crashes, the airbags are triggered. The airbags are filled with compressed air and cushion the impact. According to the company, the airbag can be deflated, refilled with gas, reassembled into the jeans and reused.

The company plans to get the jeans certified to European health and safety standards.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFNULWG22MI

Link to Team-BHP News

[warrioraks]

Originally Posted by TusharK

the jeans are tethered to the bike and if the rider crashes, the airbags are triggered. The airbags are filled with compressed air and cushion the impact. According to the company, the airbag can be deflated, refilled with gas, reassembled into the jeans and reused.

Great idea. It would be better if they can figure out a smarter way for the airbags to trigger. I don’t want my jeans to inflate out everytime I take a break and forget to manually disconnect the tether between the pants and bike.

Also if I am not mistaken, this version will just provide impact protection and nothing for abrasion resistance. What might work best is the jeans + leather lining + airbags combination. Just saying!

[Vikashmalya]

Originally Posted by warrioraks

Great idea. It would be better if they can figure out a smarter way for the airbags to trigger. I don’t want my jeans to inflate out everytime I take a break and forget to manually disconnect the tether between the pants and bike.

Also if I am not mistaken, this version will just provide impact protection and nothing for abrasion resistance. What might work best is the jeans + leather lining + airbags combination. Just saying!

Agree. Tethering the pants to the bike might trigger the airbags if we don’t disconnect while getting down from bike.

Also, in case of collision what are the chances of airbags deploying? In most cases the damage is already done before even the untether can happen. May this will help only in cases of fall from the bike.

[RedTerrano]

Originally Posted by warrioraks

Great idea. It would be better if they can figure out a smarter way for the airbags to trigger. I don’t want my jeans to inflate out everytime I take a break and forget to manually disconnect the tether between the pants and bike.

What if the airbags are not triggered? I remember one fall from my youth. Oil spill on a blind turn and before I knew it I was horizontal, trapped between the tarmac and the bike which was still between my legs. Still got a burn scar caused by the silencer pressing on my leg, to remind me of it.

And there is yet another typical Indian scenario.
Biker with airbag jeans at a stop signal. Kids come begging. Biker says no. Kids being kids, pull the tether and run away. Biker left with inflated jeans looking comic as well as furious.

[srini1785]

I would love to know more about how they managed to pull it off.

I am not able to see any kind of air reservoir or quick inflation device. My guess is that its not an air inflated device at all. It must be some quick acting mechanical fix. Some other details would make it clear.

My understanding is that the pull trigger is attached to the frame of the bike and when the rider falls, it automatically pulls the trigger.

[bblost]

Found another video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRjSDinvLeU

This is very cool idea but I am not sure how practical it is.

[srini1785]

@bblost : Thanks for the video.

More I look at it, more I think that its a chemical trigger that makes the resin or something bloat up quickly. As i said, the trigger is attached to the frame.

[warrioraks]

Originally Posted by RedTerrano

What if the airbags are not triggered? I remember one fall from my youth. Oil spill on a blind turn and before I knew it I was horizontal, trapped between the tarmac and the bike which was still between my legs. Still got a burn scar caused by the silencer pressing on my leg, to remind me of it.

A tether wouldn’t have worked in your scenario since your body was still attached to the bike, right? Doesn’t it re-enforce that a smarter way is needed to trigger the airbag.

And there is yet another typical Indian scenario.
Biker with airbag jeans at a stop signal. Kids come begging. Biker says no. Kids being kids, pull the tether and run away. Biker left with inflated jeans looking comic as well as furious.

[Thermodynamics]

Trigger can be wireless and perhaps AI can help detect collisions more effectively.

[gthang]

Explored the airbag gear for bikes almost a decade ago and had a riding buddy who had bought a vest from https://www.hit-air.com/

It had a retainer cord that you attached to the bike. You had to exceed a certain pull to release the pin on the CO2 cartridge. Not that easy to accidentally trigger.

Since then, Dainese has developed the D-Air system which works on some sensors and gyros to predict and activate the airbag. Costs a pretty penny.

Airbags for legs don't seem that essential since it can be protected by hard shell pads. But upper body organ protection works better by airbags without hard shell which can sometimes be more harmful.

Cheers

Ride Safe

[PratikPatel]

Looks to be a very nice innovation. Only one problem with the whole concept; the use of jeans/ textiles.

It’s an undisputed fact that leather offers vastly superior protection compared to textiles. It’s ability to withstand friction heat (leather will not melt whereby preventing road rash and burns) and cushion a fall is outstanding compared to textiles.

[landcruiser123]

Originally Posted by warrioraks

Great idea. It would be better if they can figure out a smarter way for the airbags to trigger. I don’t want my jeans to inflate out everytime I take a break and forget to manually disconnect the tether between the pants and bike.

Originally Posted by RedTerrano

Kids being kids, pull the tether and run away. Biker left with inflated jeans looking comic as well as furious.

I've attended a motorcycle safety training class and can tell you about it. We had an instructor showing us a demo of the airbag jacket. The pants are similar. The strings are made to break due to large changes of momentum. So don't worry, it won't trigger even if you try to get down and run to the loo

Originally Posted by srini1785

I am not able to see any kind of air reservoir or quick inflation device. My guess is that its not an air inflated device at all.

All airbags (whatever the vehicle) are always controlled chemical explosions, not air filled pillows which are magically inflated at the time of collision.

These pants are useless after a single use.

Originally Posted by Thermodynamics

Trigger can be wireless and perhaps AI can help detect collisions more effectively.

Why add another point of failure? Refer my post above.

[Thermodynamics]

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

The strings are made to break due to large changes of momentum.

Thanks, insightful. Would appreciate if you please explain how those strings differentiate between an accident and accidental pull.

[5252rpm]

I have seen a similar airbag jacket in past times too. My concern remains the same. Can I walk freely or roll freely with airbags inflated? A fatal fall on a highway (especially on two lanes) might require an immediate maneuver to save yourself from other vehicles on road. If I can't execute any such quick impulsive actions due to inflated airbags, this is of no use. This could easily be a deathtrap.

[bblost]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2jZryt607U

An interesting video on this.