Paige Mitchell 8th period

'Smart' football helmet may help detect concussions

Concussion and brain injury rates have been increasing rapidly with in football athletes. Football is a very dangerous sports that cause harm to a lot of the players. After trying to find solutions to keep players healthy on the field, Ridell has created its newest helmet called "The Speedflex." This helmet is designed to measure the impact of a hit a player receives. The polymer film-lining develops a charge when impact pressure is applied. The helmet's crown contains a flexible panel that compresses upon impact which reduces the force of collisions. They also have an insight system that sends wireless alerts to handheld devices that the coaches have. The alerts will inform the coach if a player has sustained an unusual forceful hit. This tool has helped the future of football players by keeping tabs on their health.

Analysis

  This is a very good idea, however the coaches and players can not become too reliable on these helmets. The helmets help the coaches to determine whether a player should come out of the game. They do not diagnose concussions or any other injury. Overall, it still makes the game safer.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/09/tech/innovation/smart-football-helmet-concussions/index.html