Wayne State University Researchers have designed a football helmet to reduce the likelihood of a cerebral concussion to the wearer during blunt impact with another player or the ground. The helmet shell and interior padding are tuned using a computer model of the head and helmet to reduce the strain experienced by the brain during impact.
Commercial Applications
Studies on the risks of long-term brain damage to American Football players have recently raised awareness of the need for improvements in protective equipment. Our helmet design has the potential to improve upon the safety of current football helmets, greatly reducing the probability that the wearer will sustain a mild concussion during game play. Our helmet design has implications for increasing safety measures for professional, college-level, and amateur football players. Major sports helmet manufacturers will likely have interest in incorporating our technology into their helmet designs.
Competitive Advantage
Current football helmets are designed only to prevent skull fractures and severe brain injuries, and provide insufficient protection against concussions during game play. Our helmet design holds advantages over existing helmets in that it is specifically designed to prevent mild cerebral concussions.
Market Status/Potential Competitive Landscape:
- There is growing concern for the long-term damage that may be caused by frequent and repeated mild cerebral concussions experienced by professional American football players
- No football helmet currently exists that is specifically designed to prevent concussions
Stage of Development
We are seeking industry partnerships and funding to proceed with development of a prototype and in-type testing.
Patent Status: US 9.530,248 B2
https://patents.google.com/patent/US9530248B2/en?oq=US+9.530%2c248+B2
Publications:
J Biomech Eng. Nov 2013, 135(11): 111002 ; https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4025101