I started out by making the base (of radius 1.1m) using cardboard – then realising that the cardboard was too uneven to make a good base. thus i changed to a thinner but more flimsy artboard. I taped the sides together and drew a huge circle and cut it out. Then, I cut out a circle of radius 9.1cm in the middle of the bigger circle (to fit the hat through). I then secured it with masking tape, duct tape and string, with wooden beams and cardboard as support at the underside of the hat. However, it did not turn out the way I wanted it to as it ended up flopping down, instead of being upright. That in itself turned out to be effective too, as the wooden beams at the side of the head still remained somewhat straight It looked similar to a huge summer hat.
Reviews from friends who wore the hat: it was able to give full body protection, and people steared clear of their path.
Below are the pictures and video documentation of the hat prototype.
(above: drawn shape of hat on base of thin artboard)
(above: top of hat prototype)
(above: bottom framework of hat prototype)
