Protective helmets for disaster situations

Abstract

In one embodiment, a protective helmet for disaster situation includes a rigid outer shell and an electronic system integrated into the helmet that includes an electronic location system configured to transmit electromagnetic signals that can be used to locate the wearer of the helmet.

Claimed are: 
     
         1 . A protective helmet for disaster situations, the helmet comprising:
 a rigid outer shell; and   an electronic system integrated into the helmet that includes an electronic location system configured to transmit electromagnetic signals that can be used to locate the wearer of the helmet.   
     
     
         2 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the outer shell is made of a syntactic foam material that comprises a plurality of microspheres that are compounded with a thermoplastic resin. 
     
     
         3 . The helmet of  claim 2 , wherein the microspheres are hollow spherical elements having an interior void that is enclosed by a thin outer shell. 
     
     
         4 . The helmet of  claim 3 , wherein the thermoplastic comprises one or more of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide, poly ethylene terephthalate, polyurethane, or polycarbonate. 
     
     
         5 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic location system comprises a satellite beacon configured to transmit a radio frequency distress signal to one or more satellites. 
     
     
         6 . The helmet of  claim 5 , wherein the electronic location system further comprises a global positioning system receiver configured to determine a geospatial location of the wearer and wherein the distress signal includes an indication of that location. 
     
     
         7 . The helmet of  claim 5 , wherein the electronic location system further comprises a homing beacon configured to transmit a homing signal that can be detected by handheld receivers carried by search and rescue personnel within the vicinity of the wearer. 
     
     
         8 . The helmet of  claim 7 , wherein the homing signal includes data about the wearer. 
     
     
         9 . The helmet of  claim 7 , wherein the homing signal is a radio frequency signal. 
     
     
         10 . The helmet of  claim 7 , wherein the homing signal is a magnetic signal. 
     
     
         11 . The helmet of  claim 1 , further comprising a body parameter sensor configured to measure at least one body parameter of the wearer that is indicative of the wearer's health. 
     
     
         12 . The helmet of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one body parameter includes body temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate. 
     
     
         13 . The helmet of  claim 11 , wherein the body parameter sensor comprises a pulse oximeter. 
     
     
         14 . The helmet of  claim 1 , further comprising an impact sensor configured to measure data indicative of the severity of an impact to the helmet. 
     
     
         15 . The helmet of  claim 14 , wherein the impact sensor comprises an inertial measurement unit. 
     
     
         16 . The helmet of  claim 14 , further comprising an indicator light that provides an indication as to the severity of the impact. 
     
     
         17 . The helmet of  claim 1 , further comprising a scent-based location system configured to release an odor that can be used to locate the wearer. 
     
     
         18 . The helmet of  claim 1 , further comprising non-volatile memory that stores information about the wearer. 
     
     
         19 . A protective helmet for disaster situations, the helmet comprising:
 a rigid outer shell made of a syntactic foam material; and   an electronic system integrated into the helmet that includes:
 a body parameter sensor configured to measure at least one body parameter of the wearer that is indicative of the wearer's health, 
 an impact sensor configured to measure data indicative of the severity of an impact to the helmet, 
 an electronic location system configured to transmit electromagnetic signals that can be used to locate the wearer of the helmet, the signals including a radio frequency distress signal that can be received by one or more satellites and a homing signal that can be detected by handheld receivers within the vicinity of the wearer, and 
 a microcontroller configured to collect data from the body parameter and impact sensors and, when justified by the collected data, automatically activate the electronic location system. 
   
     
     
         20 . The helmet of  claim 19 , further comprising a scent-based location system configured to release an odor that can be used to locate the wearer, wherein the microcontroller also automatically activates the scent-based location system when justified by the collected data.