The NFL has received a deluge of bad publicity recently. If you wade through the domestic violence scandals now squarely in the public eye, you may recall the controversy over players suffering long-term effects from head injuries. Not everyone has lost track of that issue. In fact, some solutions are in the works.
Although the NFL has already agreed to more than $870M in payout, compensation is not correction. In addition to some rule changes and player education, better helmets are a good way forward. To
As covered by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Thomas Healy is a disciplined individual. Taking on engineering courses and football weren’t enough, so he started investigating sports-related head injuries. That work created the foundation for the company, HeadSmart Labs, which was launched in July.
HeadSmart Labs is working to, “…advance research methods that will aid in the prevention of head and neck injuries sustained by athletes who wear helmets during collision sports such as American football.” Football helmets are much more complex than the leather caps from days of old. To address the multi-faceted design, the company will be researching four aspects:
· Helmet inflation
· The helmet shell
· Incorporation of accelerometers
· Impact simulation
Modern football helmets are sort of like a blood pressure cuff. Once they are on, the padding can be inflated to ensure a proper fit. The problem is that a “proper” fit is rarely reality. The helmets are often fitted once then worn for the remainder of the season.
Part of reducing head injuries is to reduce the transmitted force. If the padding is underinflated, it won’t provide enough cushion. If it is overinflated, it will act rigidly and not provide cushioning. Part of HeadSmart’s mission is to reduce this to perfect pressure to a science. By incorporating accelerometers into the helmet, they can determine the force for a variety of impact and inflation conditions to dial in the best protection.
Sports equipment in all professions has been getting more engineering to make it more competitive. There is a difference between good equipment and good results. Having clear guidelines is major step forward. Pushing forward new research tactics and technologies will continue the momentum.
The video below describes basic helmet inflation and testing.
Photos courtesy of HeadSmart Labs