Much has been written about football helmets and whether enough is being done to stop the increasing number of concussions among players? Well, now that football season is winding down, attention is being turned to hockey, which has also seen an increase in the number of professional players suffering from hits to the heads.
It was noted recently that Bauer had released the 9900 Helmet for hockey this season, which is the first to utilize PORON XRD technology. This feature is designed to absorb maximum impact without adding stiff or constricting bulk to the helmet. Moreover this is helmet is actually 10 percent lighter than the 9500 model. But the question remains is it enough?
Some don’t think so, and this includes Danny Crossman, an Ottawa entrepreneur and British Army veteran, who served in Iraq, Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo. Crossman is now chief executive of Impackt Protective, and he’s working to develop a sensor that could be used on hockey helmets.
The concept is similar to what we’re seeing in football helmets, and would the Shockbox as it is called would instantly alert team officials (or parents as the case might be) when a player takes a dangerous blow to the head. The sensor works via Bluetooth wireless technology to transmit the data when a helmet takes rapid acceleration. Using color codes, data could indicate degrees of the hit. Yellow for hits that could be a concern if the player has a history of head injuries and orange for notably higher g-force of 90 or more – the level that often results in a concussion.
According to reports the Shockbox is already being used by several varsity hockey teams in Ontario, but this sounds like the kind of thing that could make its way to all helmets.
Impakt Protective Official Website
Bauer 9900 Helmet Official Website