New Release Layer System for helmets tops safety rankings at first outing

A brand new helmet technology called RLS, which stands for Release Layer System, has been launched today, promising to dramatically reduce the risk of concussion in head impacts. Something any cyclist is potentially at risk of in the event of a crash.

RLS highlights the point that the brain, as a critical organ, is highly sensitive to rotational motion present in the majority of head impacts, and something that's a particular risk to cyclists when crashing.

RLS technology, designed and manufactured in the UK, aims to reduce TBIs – traumatic brain injuries – and subsequent concussion risks by enabling panels located on the helmet's shell to roll and then release when subjected to an impact.

This is claimed to significantly dissipate rotational force, the ill effects of which are often cited as being the cause of life-changing brain injuries in cyclists and many other action sports and transport modes.

What is RLS and how does it work?

RLS is a patented technology designed by founder Jamie Cook in East London. Cook himself was the co-founder of HEXR, the company that 3D printed helmets to match customers' head shapes.

Cook noticed a colleague's 3D printed helmets outer shell released in an accident, and (presumably after some testing and investigation) this movement was found to 'significantly reduce rotational forces and risk of concussion'.

This releasing panel appears to have been the genesis of the idea; the company then developed it into the RLS design, which uses small, lightweight bearings sandwiched between the helmet's shells.

The RLS helmet panels are connected to a polycarbonate layer where the small bearings are housed. When a significant impact is detected, these bearings roll in any direction, presumably determined by the impact forces, and allow the RLS panels to release. This movement allegedly allows harmful impact forces to be dissipated away from the brain, thus minimising the risk of concussion or traumatic brain injury.

RLS has already partnered with Canyon to bring the first RLS-equipped helmet to market. It seems the brand will partner with other helmet manufacturers to provide the tech at present, rather than releasing its own helmets, much like how MIPS (multi directional impact protection system) operates.

Canyon will launch the RLS spec Deflectr Trail helmet later this autumn, and further brands and adopters of the technology are to be announced in the coming months.

One thing we don't know yet is what the technology is going to do regarding cost; there is no pricing for the Canyon helmet at present.

Does the tech work?

The tech sounds promising and, at the very least, interesting, but does it work?

We haven't got our hands on a helmet yet, and crash testing is a difficult thing to do. However, there are a couple of promising results for the helmet already when it comes to independent testing.

First, as of today, the Canyon Deflectr Trail helmet is at the top of the Virginia Tech helmet rating safety scores. Virginia Tech is generally regarded as a dependable independent safety tester for helmets and a very useful reference point. This ranking indicates the RLS tech has topped all MIPS helmets tested at the Virginia lab.

Testing has also been conducted by ICUBE at Strasbourg University, showing that RLS-equipped helmets reduced peak rotational velocity by an average of 56% - 66% across a range of impact locations, compared to the same helmets without RLS. RLS claims this works out to a 68% to 84% reduction in the probability of a brain injury.

The risk of brain injury is real for cyclists, and founder Cook mades a valid and important point

“RLS is first and foremost designed to protect what makes you, you. Your memories, your personality, your loves and hates are all in the most fascinating part of the body - the brain - and RLS has been developed to protect what matters most."