The Future of the Football Helmet
Some have speculated that the beautiful sport of football could be dying out due to concussions and safety concerns, but there’s so much money and support of the game that we’re not ready to give up on the future of football just yet!
The guys @ Gridiron Labs have shown us a glimpse into the future of football helmets, and the results are amazing.
Read original story in NFL Retweet.
“Over the past century, the football helmet has evolved slowly and steadily from a rudimentary piece of padded leather, into the hard-shell-and-facemask design of today.
As a device that’s worn by every player on every down, the function of the football helmet has the unique potential to profoundly impact players and fans—and shape the future of the game.”
We’ve seen GoPro cams strapped on top of helmets before, but eventually they will become a permanent fixture in the front and back of every helmet so that fans can see instant replays from the player perspectives.
Impact sensors will help team doctors identify a player that has had a head collision that needs medical attention before the ball is hiked on the very next play.
But the HUD (Heads Up Display) visor is where things get really cool…
Players will be able to get a range of information from down & distance to personal health levels inside their visor.
Huddling up could be a thing of the past with the play-call, routes, defensive assignments, etc. showing up right before their eyes.
Even analysis of the player matchup could be available to help identify weaknesses players saw on film during the week.
Comfort and safety will also be put at a premium in the future with helmets becoming stronger than kevlar at a fraction of the weight.
The helmets will have the ability to filter out crowd noise so the player can focus more on selective on-field sounds.
And the coolest part of all is the digital display on each helmet. No longer will logos be passive and plain. In the future, helmets will react to things like touchdowns, interceptions, and sacks.
And who’s going to pay for these helmets of the future?
The ability to put motion ads on them, of course!
As you can see, football helmets have come a long way, but still have room for improving safety while increasing the entertainment side too.
Gridiron Labs predicts that these helmets could be in use by as early as 2030.
