New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS): People riding motorcycles can now breathe clean air as a Delhi based startup, Shellios Technolabs, has developed an anti-pollution helmet that has a bluetooth-enabled app which alerts the rider when the helmet requires cleaning.

The helmet titled PUROS is integrated with air purifying accessories which include the patented innovations of the startup -- a Brushless DC (BLDC) blower fan, High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter membrane, electronic circuit, and microUSB charging port integrated into the helmet.

The purifying system set at the back of the helmet picks up all particulate matter coming from outside and cleans the air before it reaches the biker.

The startup received seed funding from the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and was incubated at Science and Technology Entrepreneur Park (JSSATE-STEP) Noida.

They had signed commercialisation deals with leading Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) for the helmet. The product, at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) level 9 has been granted utility patent and is now being sold in all parts of the country priced at Rs 4,500.

The end-users of the product include individual riders all over India and for the next version, Shellios has partnered with Royal Enfield Motorcycles to commercialise the product.

The founders of Shellios Technolabs hit upon the idea on realising the challenges faced by bikers during the air quality crisis that Delhi faces in the winter months.

"We were disturbed by the health impacts of the air quality situation on the people, especially the millions of two wheeler riders who were having prolonged daily exposures and that too, to a double whammy of particulate matter and vehicular emissions in the air that they breathe," said Amit Pathak, one of the founders.