Special Motorcycle Helmet Filters Out Toxic Air Emitted On Polluted Roads

As pollution continues to riddle our air with harmful toxins, one company has found a way to keep motorcyclists safe from these chemicals.

Shellios Technolabs in New Delhi has developed a helmet that filters air as riders drive along smog-infested roads.

Currently, India is home to the most polluted cities in the world, and with more motorcycles on the road than cars (13 million bikes were sold in the country between 2021 and 2022), a large portion of the population is exposed to harmful fumes.

The PUROS helmets use a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter and are able to extract fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) and other car emissions.

Amit Pathak, co-founder of Shellios Technolabs, tells SciDev.net that the purification system is located behind a wall of fiberglass in the back of the headgear, keeping the rider’s vision clear and giving them ample breathing room. The filter is also powered by rechargeable batteries.

The total weight of the lid is 3.3 pounds, and tests show that the helmet has been able to remove gases by up to 80%.

The headgear also has Bluetooth connectivity to alert the wearer when it is time to change the filter.

Eventually, Pathak states that the helmet will be able to handle other hands-free capabilities such as taking calls, and will also be able to have air-conditioning installed right into the lid itself.

[via TechXplore and SciDev.net, cover image via Shellios Technolabs]