Thread: U's new helmets can detect injuries

http://www.twincities.com/gophers/ci_6568496?nclick_check=1

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - The University of Minnesota football team soon will be on the cutting edge when its players begin wearing new helmets that can detect concussions.

The Gophers are one of nine NCAA Division I teams that will have headgear equipped with sensors to monitor and record significant head impacts players receive in games and practices.

With concussions a big issue in football at all levels, the Head Impact Telemetry System used by the Riddell sports equipment company could change the way football helmets are designed.

Minnesota coach Tim Brewster said he felt fortunate his players could benefit from the added safety the helmets provide. The helmets also could be used as recruiting tools. Only three other Big Ten Conference teams - Illinois, Indiana and Iowa - plan to use the system this season.

"Anything that will help us with young kids to determine if he has been concussed will be very beneficial," Brewster said. "These helmets are revolutionary in their safety precaution. It's something every football player should have."

Brewster was on board with the idea when Gophers equipment manager Darin Kerns researched the new technology this summer. Kerns persuaded the athletics department to pay for the new equipment.

A typical helmet package with the new technology purchased by a football team costs around $50,000. Kerns said Minnesota bought 70 helmets and encoders, along with the standard sideline processor to retrieve the data and pagers
to alert the team's medical staff of a possible concussion.

technology gives me boners.

"BloodyHorns82" wrote:

technology gives me boners.

and it gives me a damn hernia when it doesn't work.

A typical helmet package with the new technology purchased by a football team costs around $50,000. Kerns said Minnesota bought 70 helmets and encoders, along with the standard sideline processor to retrieve the data and pagers to alert the team's medical staff of a possible concussion.

Is that $50,000 for the package, or per helmet?
I hope to God that is the whole package.

That's for the whole team package.

How about helmets that stop concussions from happening not just detect them.

"VKG4LFE" wrote:

How about helmets that stop concussions from happening not just detect them.

The only way to stop the concussions would be boring

[img width=450 height=300]http://www.utrecsports.org/_images/activities-flag-football.jpg[/img]