The NFL is serious about player safety in 2021. An alarming 99% of former NFL players who had their brains examined for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) showed symptoms of the neurodegenerative illness, according to a 2017 study. This is in addition to the concussions, broken bones, bruised ribs, torn ACLs, and a host of other physical injuries that current players may experience. The organization has invested a tremendous amount of resources in inventing better machinery, revising regulations, and creating more efficient recovery methods since the ground-breaking Boston University research was published. Check out how technology is driving this new era of increased player safety.
1. Helmets of the future
Repeated head trauma is thought to be one of the causes of CTE, making helmets the most crucial piece of football equipment. As part of the NFL’s Helmet Challenge, engineers have been working diligently for the past few years to reimagine the helmet. Some of the more innovative concepts incorporate cutting-edge polymers, 3D-printed materials that resemble muscle structures, and rubberized crystals that can be braided into designs more intricate—and shock-absorbing—than those that can be created using molds.
2. Modeling with computer vision
Next Gen Stats for the NFL is more than just a data geek’s fantasy. The NFL’s RFID tracking system, which uses 250 sensors to track players in real time throughout each game, generates enough data to build computer models that aid authorities in understanding precisely what types of force lead to concussions and other problems. With player safety in mind, this deep learning technology can assist officials in rewriting the regulations and assist engineers in creating better machinery.
3. Cutting-edge fitness monitoring
Athletes love fitness trackers, but the NFL’s are much better. For instance, Organic Robotics Corporation, which developed a Light Laceä sensor that can be connected into equipment and used to track injury risk variables in real time, won this year’s “1st and Future” competition held by the NFL and Amazon Web Services. As a result, a coach will be able to tell if a player is working too hard or getting weary, ensuring that everyone only participates when they are at their peak.
4. Robots that you can defeat
Accidents occur even during practice, which is why MVP Robotics created a robot that players can use before a match. Even though foam dummies have been available for a while, some teams still practice tackling on one another because they find them to be a poor substitute for moving individuals.
When Dartmouth had access to the MVP Robotics mobile solution for practice, their team’s concussion rate dropped by 58%.
5. Quick recovery tools
Injury will occur, regardless of how well-designed a piece of equipment may be. The goal is to limit their negative effects on the body and prevent athletes from experiencing persistent illnesses. Athletes recover more quickly and with less long-term damage to their bodies with the aid of devices for rapid recovery such pneumatic compression suits, electrostimulation pads, and massagers.
6. Modern diagnosis
All football players should be concerned about CTE, thus many medical companies have invested significant resources in creating tests that can spot the condition early on before it progresses. One of the most promising was created by Quanterix, a blood test that may detect concussion indicators in as little as 20 minutes. Since CTE develops as a result of a tipping point, reliable and improved diagnostics allow medical professionals to determine when it is best for a player to retire.
Conclusion
The NFL is trying their best to keep players healthy in a sports known for its controlled violence. By the way, if you are wondering, online sportsbooks have the Kansas City Chiefs as the odds-on favorites to win the Super Bowl in February of 2024.
