Sportscope Flex-Fit Bicycle Helmets

The Challenge:
DW’s client had a patent for segmentation of a bicycle helmet. DW was asked to design a mass market helmet for the start-up sports company in partnership with Biokinetics. There were many visual and functional issues to be resolved by DW in order to offer the benefit of flex-fitting to the marketplace.

Accomplishments:
• created a product image that conveyed the innovation to the mass-market consumer in a way that made them feel comfortable with segmented technology
• DW developed the concept of over molding a fully featured fabric armature that acts as a hinge between 5 integral helmet segments.
• through smart design DW kept the cost of the product down despite the introduction of new parts and technologies
• iterative foam parts were created by DW
and tested by Biokinetics resulting in the team having a high degree of confidence in the design’s ability to meet the regulatory standards prior to production
• IDSA / Business Week 2000 IDEA Gold Award

Responsibilities: Positioned a product around a patent, industrial design, secured new IP, visual and functional prototypes, managed the creation of automated assembly jig prototypes, created patterns for production tooling, and liaison with the manufacturer.