Workers at various BMW Group production facilities could soon start to use protective equipment inspired by nature.
Dubbed Bio-Inspired Safety Systems (BISS), the technology has been created throughout the past three years by a consortium of seven companies and, apart from BMW, also included Adidas and a number of universities in Germany.
The BISS take specific inspiration from the Pomelo, a member of the citrus fruit family which can fall from great heights without splitting open or the inside getting badly damaged. Additionally, the project investigated the scales of fish and many reptiles as well as the protective armor of alligators.
The result of this research are prototypes, including helmets, that are up to 20 per cent lighter while still being tougher and more stable than materials currently used. BMW also believes the technology can be used in gloves and for protective inserts which could help factory workers avoid injury from sharp vehicle body parts.
A number of sporting goods manufacturers have also discovered significant advantages of the technology in creating things like ski and bicycle helmets.
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