Innovations in Protective Turf, Face Masks, and Lining Material Receive 国产外流网Funding to Move Closer to Market
Winners of the fourth round of HeadHealthTECH Challenges have been announced, one in a series of awards created by the 国产外流网and Football Research, Inc. (FRI) through a partnership with Duke University鈥檚 Clinical and Translational Science Institute (Duke CTSI).
The crowdsourcing challenges are designed to stimulate research and innovation in the areas of head protection, materials science, turf systems, and other sports safety technology.
In this latest round, three companies were awarded nearly $400,000 by the 国产外流网and FRI for ideas in one of these areas:
- Improvements in helmets, turf grass, opponent padding, and other helmet-specific or helmet-contacting surfaces.
- Advanced protective material that鈥檚 ready to deploy.
- Approaches to scientific studies that improve test protocols for helmet development.
- Approaches to scientific studies that help explain the most intense forms of stress strain on helmet materials.
鈥淭ECH Challenge winners continue to demonstrate promising new technologies that are disrupting the marketplace,鈥� said Jeff Miller, 国产外流网Executive Vice President of Health and Safety Initiatives. 鈥淲e are excited to support these entrepreneurs as they continue to develop their novel designs, and we encourage all innovators to enter the next TECH Challenge.鈥�
鈥淭here is a lack of capital, but there is great talent, whether it鈥檚 producing products to go to market or scientists leading the creative processes to invent the new materials and structures that will be tomorrow鈥檚 safety technologies,鈥� explained Dr. Barry Myers, Director of Innovation at Duke CTSI. 鈥淭he purpose of the HeadHealthTECH Challenge program is to fill those gaps to get technologies into the marketplace.鈥�
Revolutionizing the Field
in Montreal, Canada received a grant of $195,000 to continue development of an advanced turf system.
FieldTurf鈥檚 sports turf surface is already in use in facilities for the New England Patriots, the Atlanta Falcons, the Detroit Lions, and the Seattle Seahawks.
Darren Gill, Vice President of Marketing, Innovation, and Customer Service at FieldTurf, is most excited about how the technology鈥檚 longevity aims to make fields safer, accessible, and manageable for communities.
鈥淥ur turf is already on over 20,000 fields worldwide,鈥� Gill said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 giving people more access to fields鈥攁nd activities outside.鈥�
The company鈥檚 technology is based on a novel infill system that combines sand and rubber in three layers.
鈥淚t mimics the tight, compact yet flexible base of natural grass,鈥� Gill said. 鈥淎nd just like on grass, athletes have safer opportunities to, as we say, 鈥榗ut, plant, and release鈥� during play.鈥�
With funding awarded through HeadHealthTECH Challenge IV, Gill says the company will start developing a pre-fabricated version of its turf intended to produce a product that鈥檚 safer and more consistent over time.
Bio-Inspired Idea, Computer Simulation Tested
A start-up company at Mississippi State University, Yobel Technologies, LLC, was awarded $20,000 to fund certification of an optimized face mask.
The company found inspiration for its facemask prototype from unexpected sources: rams, bison, and woodpeckers.
鈥淲e all know how these animals knock heads and bounce back,鈥� said Mark Horstemeyer, Founder, President, and CEO of Yobel Technologies. 鈥淚鈥檝e studied their impact biology for years, even published peer-reviewed papers on the topic.鈥�
鈥淪o we鈥檙e baking in bio-inspired ideas from the natural world into our products,鈥� he said.
Horstemeyer says Yobel Technologies has developed an optimized facemask that it believes, based on testing, reduces damage to the brain during certain kinds of impact. According to a comprehensive video review of player impacts in the 国产外流网during the 2015 and 2016 seasons, almost one third of concussions resulted from a hit to the facemask.
Horstemeyer and his colleagues at Yobel Technologies used thousands of computer simulations in the design process, an approach that鈥檚 at the forefront of materials design.
鈥淭he simulated brain is a representation of my brain,鈥� Horstemeyer said. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 test a facemask prototype thousands of times on a human.鈥�
Yobel Technologies plans to use its challenge award to certify its optimized facemask to National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment requirements.
A Technology That 鈥榃orks Well with Others鈥�
On three occasions, submitted proposals to HeadHealthTECH Challenges.
鈥淓ach time,鈥� said President and Founder Bill Lyndon, 鈥渢he judges helped us focus our work with expert feedback.鈥�
After incorporating two rounds of feedback from Duke CTSI鈥檚 team of biomechanical engineers, this third time Corsair is a winner and is receiving $168,504 to advance its unique FEAM material. FEAM, shorthand for Fiber Energy Absorbing Material, is a textile liner formed by two layers of fabric, connected by thousands of vertical fibers that function to keep the layers away from each other. It is a unique material that provides new functionality not found in existing foam materials typically used in sports helmets to reduce impacts.
鈥淥ur technology works well with others,鈥� Lyndon said. 鈥淔EAM improves performance of many safety products already on the market because it deflects, redirects, and protects against the worst type of hits.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 also breathable, washable, and wicks sweat well,鈥� he said.
FEAM was first used as protective hat liners for professional baseball umpires. With the money awarded through the HeadHealthTECH Challenge, the company will purchase the expensive materials needed to conduct iterative tests to specifically tune their material to the needs for a football helmet.
The latest grant builds on past support from the 国产外流网and its partners. Corsair Innovations was awarded $250,000 as part of the NFL-GE Head Health Challenge in 2015 to support the initial development of its FEAM material.
The Next Round
Proposals are currently being reviewed for HeadHealthTECH Challenge V.
The NFL, Football Research, Inc., and Duke CTSI are accepting submissions for HeadHealthTECH Challenge VI now through September 13, 2018. For more information or to submit a proposal, visit https://www.playsmartplaysafe.com/headhealthtech/.