news
19 January 2026

D-AIR LAB AT THE INTERNATIONAL SKI AND WINTER SPORTS EXHIBITION

D-Air lab is present at the International Ski and Winter Sports Show – Scie di Gloria, an exhibition that opened on January 9th at the Longarone Fiere Dolomiti Congress Center, closely tied to the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The exhibition traces the history of skiing through the equipment of the greatest alpine and cross-country ski champions, from the 1950s to the present day, and also features a section dedicated to new technologies for skier protection and equipment.

In this area, D-Air lab presents prototypes of the Aero Brace, a smart brace that uses airbag technology to protect skiers’ knees from ligament rupture.

Knee ligament injuries are the most frequent consequence of skiing accidents, both in competitions and in recreational skiing. This is why D-Air Lab designed the Aero Brace to recognize risky conditions and activate the device. Thanks to a combination of pneumatics and mechanics, it can counteract movements that could cause ligament injuries or ruptures.

The Aero Brace project began with a thorough study of the physiology of the knee, with the goal of integrating a wearable airbag into the structure of the lower limb. The Aero Brace is designed not to interfere with the mobility of the lower limb. The device activates only when it detects risky dynamics and intervenes to slow movements between the femur and tibia that could lead to ligament injuries or ruptures.

The Aero Brace has three essential components:

  • An electronic system that recognizes accident conditions and sends the activation signal.
  • The pneumatic component that, upon activation, protects the knee.
  • An ergonomic structure for integration and support.

The initiative aligns with the exhibition’s focus on new technological devices and advanced materials, in line with D-Air lab’s commitment to research and innovation. The system on display was developed in collaboration with a leading partner, the University of Padua, which supported the bench-testing validation phase, necessary to test the brace for both effectiveness and safety.

The prototypes of the Aero Brace knee brace are on display and visible to the public both in the D-Air lab area and at the University of Padua booth. In the latter space, the prototype is part of the Safety: “From Head to Toe” project, exhibited alongside products from other prestigious partners such as Dainese, Head Tyrolia, and FIS. This cooperation and synergy with leading industry players stems from the shared goal of making skiing safer, both in competitive and recreational contexts.

This initiative reaffirms D-Air lab’s commitment to research and development of superior safety standards, essential for high-level sports practice and for improving the overall experience of athletes and enthusiasts.