Smelly Helmets Let You Know They're Damaged

You probably know that when your helmet is damaged it needs to be replaced, but how do you know when it is damaged?

You probably know that when your helmet is damaged it needs to be replaced, but how do you know when it is damaged? One day it might be that your nose knows.

German researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials are working on developing a bike helmet that emits and odor when the structure is damaged. Basically stinky capsules are injected into the helmet material. When the protective shell is broken and the material is damaged the capsules break releasing the odor.

Maybe this will make it to snowboard helmets, and who says it has to be a bad smell? I'd suggest using the odor of  Belgian waffles. Mmmm....waffles.

via Engadget, dvice, PhysOrg