High-tech liner for NFL helmets and soft materials designed to cushion player impact on astro-turf are among a handful of innovations competing for research grants in the NFL-led Head Health Challenge, officials explained.
Officials with the NFL’s Head Health Challenge, a three-part, multi-pronged effort led by the NFL with corporate partners from Under Armour and General Electric, are getting ready to announce a new round of winners on Dec. 3.
The winners will be slated to receive research grants to continue developing next-generation technologies designed to better diagnose and treat concussions and traumatic brain injury.
NFL officials have been collaborating with the Army for quite some time on this project, due to the common interest in better identifying and treating head injuries caused by combat or collisions on the NFL playing field.
Army officials have been involved in judging many of the research proposals – and the Army Research Laboratory has been among those selected to receive research grant money. In total, the NFL’s Head Health Challenge is a $25million effort aimed at recognizing and supporting innovation and emerging technologies that can increase safety and prevent concussions as well.
Winning Technologies
Many of the winning technologies have already been discussed in Part 1 and Part 2 of this series, however there are a few more which merit special attention.
