Today, safety protection company POC released images of their newly designed and groundbreaking airbag system which they are referring to as their Spine VPD 2.0 Airbag Vest. The Swedish based company recently teamed up with the French company, In&motion to create a seamless and integrated airbag vest that minimizes weight, yet has intuitive capabilities to protect alpine ski racers from the effects of violent crashes.
Since being displayed at SIA this past year, the FIS has approved the system for both ski cross as well as alpine racing disciplines.
Here’s how the system works
The airbag system consists of integrated sensors and uses a precise algorithm to distinguish between a crash or fall from the normal forces associated with Alpine racing. In order to detect a loss of balance the system keeps track of a rider’s movement by performing 1000 analysis per second. When a fall is detected, the airbag is inflated in less than 100 milliseconds to provide protection for the neck, chest, spine, abdomen and hips.- POC Press Release
The co-founder of In&motion, Pierre-Francois Tissot remarked on the evolution of the system by saying, “After spending months analyzing the accidents and trauma on ski racers, wearable intelligent airbag system appeared to be the best technical solution for serious injuries.”
According to recent studies, the new vest offers 4 times as much protection as the current spine protection systems.
About In&Motion
In&Motion is a French startup, specialized in the design and conception of wearable intelligent protection systems. In&Motion mission is to better protect people and equipment through intelligent, best performing and more customized technology.
More information: www.inemotion.com/
About POC Sports
POC was founded in 2005 in Sweden, with a strong mission ‘to do the best we can to possibly save lives and to reduce the consequences of accidents for gravity sports athletes and cyclists’. The company has been growing successfully in over 40 countries across multiple product lines, by providing innovative safety protection for skiers, snowboarders, mountain bikers and road cyclists. Throughout the years, POC has received more than 40 prestigious international safety, design, innovation and business awards.
More information: www.pocsports.com