by Arnav Shah
Wass Elementary, Troy, MI
Honorable mention
Football, hockey, boxing, and biking all have helmets because you can fall hard and get head injuries. Imagine playing all these sports without the helmets. In 2014, about 119 players got concussions in the NFL, which is down 25% from previous seasons. Concussion occurs when the brain is injured from shaking or slamming against the skull. Concussions can lead to Alzheimer’s disease and chronic traumatic encephalopathy disease. A player gets about 1,500 hits per season but the helmets are there to help reduce the injuries.
Football helmets have been around for about a century. The idea came from James Naismith. He designed it as a leather cap in the year 1891. Then a shoemaker made it and it was worn in 1893. It was created since head injuries were a major problem back then and the high speeds and colliding made head injuries worse. The first plastic helmet was made in 1939, which was made by Riddell.
Engineers design the helmets and the machines that make the helmets. Plastic, chemical, and mechanical engineers study different material for durability with the minimum weight. They program the machines so they will work precisely and faster. Test engineers test the helmets using computer software and sensors. The software measures the force of the impact of the blow to the head. However, there are some problems engineers face while designing and making the football helmets; mainly the engineers cannot find ways to prevent concussions from happening.
The factory makes the helmet. First, a machine molds the helmet shell from plastic pellets. Then, the extra plastic from the top is trimmed off, next, the shell gets holes for padding and facemask attachment. Later, the helmet is roughed and sanded for the shape. Next, the helmet is painted. Later, the helmet dries for 18 hours. Afterward, labels are put on the helmet. Then, the pads are placed strategically to absorb and redistribute the force of impacts. They are made from vinyl and foam. Next, the facemask is put on which is made from plastic and steel. Later, the engineers do an impact test; the engineers help with this by seeing if the helmets are safe. Next, chinstraps are made from plastic and are stitched, and put on. Lastly, the helmet gets an inspection and if it is good, a user manual is put inside the helmet and is ready for the game.
The engineers are still trying to find ways to improve helmets. They have placed microchips inside the helmet to measure the effects of impact on the brain. It will help them understand about brain injuries. This will help treat brain injuries faster. When I played football last season, no one got any head injuries since we wore helmets thanks to engineers. However, the helmets were hard to get on and get off which used to give me headache. One idea that I thought of is that football helmets should have a memory foam pillow which will help helmet to conform to the shape of the players head. This will help them to take out the helmet easily. They can use the technology of the Reebok CheckLight inside the helmet. It will give a red light if the player has a concussion. This will help the coach because they can pull them out right away to avoid more injuries.
I hope that the future engineer’s hard work can reduce even more brain injuries and save lives.
References:
http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-07/smarter-football-helmet-could-prevent-brain-damage
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/02/us-football-helmets-idUSBRE83103N20120402
http://equipmentforfootball.com/helmets.html
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/13/130202-football-concussions-nfl-super-bowl-safety-head-injuries-health/
http://www.pasttimesports.biz/history.html
http://www.digitaltrends.com/sports/reebok-wants-you-to-check-your-head-lights/
http://www.riddell.com/innovation/
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/10786582/uni-watch-speedflex-introduces-new-technology-help-alleviate-impact
http://wayne.technologypublisher.com/technology/6576
http://www.sciencechannel.com/tv-shows/how-its-made/videos/how-its-made-football-helmets/
http://www.si.com/nfl/2015/01/29/nfl-concussions-decrease