DESIGN NAME: Mercurio
PRIMARY FUNCTION: Urban Safety Equipment
INSPIRATION: The project comes natural as I am a passionate cyclist and an active guy living in a big city where traffic and dangers are the daily routine. My dream is to provide safety looking at all upcoming trends in evolving urban contexts
UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: It is the first light airbag for people who want to live their daily city moves sportily and safe. It differs from all existing products on the market as the airbag is no longer conceived as a bag to be fitted inside special jackets or goggles, instead, it is both a garment and an airbag at the same time! This symplifing process concept makes it lightweight, versatile and economical.
OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: It can be worn over everyday clothes very easily (like a common accessory) and integrates itself to every outfit thanks to customizable matching layers. Due to the fact it inflates itself only in case of need, it provides high efficiency in terms of ergonomy during the common daily activity, and high protectiveness just when needed
PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: It had a duration of about 7/8 months. it has been developed through Milan, Vicenza and Venice locations.
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PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: Polyuretan membrane + nylon fabric layers matched by high temperature press method to get an airproof bag. The product is provided of a mechanical inflator activated by sensors working thanks to rechargeable batteries
SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: The product for its flexible structure can be bent and stored in its packaging. It is sold inside this versatile packaging designed to be reused even after the purchase. It is a recycled fabric
small case to carry everywhere and in which to store all everyday items.
TAGS: safety equipment, protective equipment, safety clothing, safety, equipment, protective, clothing, personal protective equipment, protection, dpi, airbag, urban safety, protective garment, product,
RESEARCH ABSTRACT: The project takes his birth as I am a passionate biker and an active guy living in a big city where traffic and dangers are daily routine.
This inspiration made me focus on the risks of nowadays urban mobility with tangible data to understand real problems, so I analyzed local hospital's statistics about injured people from urban accidents understanding opportunity to provide a better man safety. I started to study human body through sketches, 3D printing, and medical interviews to make me confident with anatomy and begin a long series of body airbag prototypes with the support of Dainese company. The italian brand helped me with his expertise and scientific tools to reach objectiveness on what I was developing. I had the opportunity to simulate different accidents scenarious, to experiment over ten working airbag explosions with slow camera phase analysis, and to prove standard impact tests on final prototypes. I finally had some informations on the industrialization process to make these prototypes producible in the most efficient way.
The project has been the result of my own enthusiasm, passion and studies/concepts combined with the experience and scientific approach of a company operating in safety field for many years.
CHALLENGE: The creative challenge was very hard as I had to face with a soft folding material becoming instantly very hard due to compressed air. I did my best to make the product first of all innocuous to the body, obviously functional and comfortable in every moment, always looking at ergonomics
ADDED DATE: 2019-08-30 22:21:19
TEAM MEMBERS (1) :
IMAGE CREDITS: Photographer Paolo Rinarelli
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