Information Renaissance: Preventing Football Injuries with Wireless Devices
1.0 Introduction
When football players hit each other there forces typically exceed 100 times the force of gravity which is comparable to car crash. These hits lead to approximately 230,000 concussions per year. Coaches and trainers usually do not have the information needed to analyze a player’s injury status. But now there is a device that can be installed in a player’s helmet that measures each blow to the head and reports impact force. This device is part of the Head Impact Telemetry System (HIT).
2.0 Wirelessly transmitted data
The system developed Simbex LLC generates a data report which is sent to a controller wirelessly when a collision is above10 gs or more. Researchers have recorded roughly 3300 head hits and found that, on average, players endured 50 impacts strong enough to trigger the system during a single game.
3.0 Predicative Analysis
Simbex director of engineering, Jeffrey J. Chu, believes that with large data set from on-field collisions that predictive algorithms, using the player’s impact history to remove players before for they get seriously injured. The data that has been collected has also shown that concussions occur more often because of side hits. As a result, a new helmets design called RevolutionT extends farther down the jaw line than conventional helmet, before the only reason for side-padding was to improve how the helmet fit.
4.0 NFL Players who have suffered concussions
4.1 Trent Green
One of the most recent players that have had multiple concussions is the NFL’s Trent Green. Green missed the majority of the 2006-2007 season due to a concussion and just recently had another one on October 7.
4.2 Andre Waters
Andre Waters was a former defensive back for the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles. Mr. Waters, who suffered from depression, committed suicide in November 2006 at the age of 44. A University of Pittsburgh scientist believes that his successive concussions sped the degenerative process in his brain, which ultimately led to his depression and suicide.
References
Green’s future unclear after latest concussion. Kansas City Star. Retrieved November 5, 2007 from http://www.kansascity.com/sports/story/308877.html
Jones W. D. ( October 2007). Wireless device will let coaches pull football players before they suffer brain damage. IEEE Spectrum.
Schwartz, A. (January 18, 2007). Expert ties ex-player’s suicide to brain damage. New York Times. Retrieved November 5, 2007 from
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/18/sports/football/18waters.html?_r=2&ref=sports&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
Trent Green Biography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trent_Green
Andre Waters Biography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andre_Waters