The NFL, GE (NYSE:GE) and Under Armour (NYSE:UA), today announced that
they have joined with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to launch Head Health
Challenge III, an open innovation competition to advance materials that
better absorb or dissipate energy. These new materials could improve the
performance of protective equipment for athletes, military personnel and
those in dangerous occupations.
The challenge, which will award up to $2 million for innovative
materials, is part of the $60 million Head Health Initiative, a
multiyear collaboration between GE and the NFL. Launched in March 2013,
the initiative includes a four-year, $40 million research and
development program from GE and the NFL to develop next generation
imaging technologies to improve diagnosis of mild traumatic brain
injury. The initiative also includes $20 million open innovation
challenges to address better ways to improve diagnosis, prognosis and
protection from brain injury.
The Head Health Challenge III aims to support the discovery, design and
deployment of advanced materials that can improve the protection of
athletes, members of the military and others from brain injuries by
better absorbing and mitigating force. Additionally, NIST will work to
refine measurement approaches, convene the research and industry
communities to assess the state of performance testing for impact energy
absorbing/dispersing materials and identify gaps in these measurements.
The ultimate goal will be to develop standard testing methods for these
materials systems over the next several years.
Entries will be judged by leading experts in the field of materials
science who will select six winners to receive a $250,000 award each to
advance their work in developing technologies that can help prevent mild
traumatic brain injury. One overall winner will be selected from the six
and will receive an additional $500,000 to further develop their
innovation. The challenge will open for applications on Monday, February
2, 2015 at 9 a.m. EST. All entries must be submitted by March 13, 2015
at 5 p.m. EST at www.challenge.gov.
Full terms and conditions: www.headhealthchallenge.com.
The open competition will encourage individuals and organizations from
all sectors of the broad materials science and engineering
community—aerospace, automotive, physical security, packaging, or other
industry sectors—to submit innovative materials for consideration.
Alan Gilbert, director healthymagination, GE said, "We welcome the
partnership and expertise of NIST in our efforts to bring together the
smartest scientists, innovators and engineers to tackle this challenge.
Partnerships like the one we have with the NFL, Under Armour-- and now
NIST—accelerates development, meaning better materials for preventing
injury, better tools for physicians, and better treatments for patients.”
San Francisco 49ers Chairman Dr. John York, chairman of the NFL owners’
health and safety committee said, “This public-private partnership holds
great promise to advance protective equipment through new and better
materials. We are confident that the Head Health Initiative will yield
results far beyond the playing field.”
Kevin Haley, senior vice president, innovation, Under Armour said,
“Partnering with NIST is a natural progression for the Head Health
Initiative. Through this collaboration, NIST will explore new testing
and standards for angular impacts incurred in sport. Additionally, by
identifying new impact mitigating materials we’re aiming to improve
overall head health.”
Willie May, acting undersecretary of commerce for standards and
technology and acting NIST director said, “Through the Head Health
Challenge III partnership, we want to engage the most creative technical
experts to identify advanced materials that improve the health and
safety of athletes, soldiers, and first responders. We’re glad to be
joining the strong collaboration already established by the NFL, GE, and
Under Armour in finding solutions to this important national challenge.
Public-private partnerships such as this are essential to NIST’s mission
to foster innovation.”
The Challenge III judges are:
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Jeff Crandall, professor in Engineering and Applied Sciences at the
University of Virginia. Crandall’s research focuses on mechanisms
of injury under impact loading.
-
Sharon Glotzer, Ph.D., professor of Chemical Engineering at
the University of Michigan. Glotzer’s research focuses on the
ability to manipulate matter at the molecular, nanoparticle, and
colloidal level to create "designer" structures.
-
Heinrich Jaeger, Ph.D., professor of Physics at the University of
Chicago. Jaeger’s team at the University of Chicago is involved in
projects ranging from the assembly of next-generation nanostructures
to investigations of the complex nonlinear behavior of granular
materials, including grain, gravel, pharmaceutical pills and ultrafine
powders.
-
Michael Maher, program manager for the Defense Sciences
Offices at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
Maher’s current interests include development of new technologies to
reduce the manufacturing cycle time and novel lightweight
multifunctional material systems.
-
Tresa Pollock, Ph.D., chair of the Materials Department at the
University of California – Santa Barbara. Pollock’s current
interests include the mechanical and environmental performance of
materials in extreme environments, unique high temperature materials
processing paths, ultrafast laser-material interactions, alloy design
and 3-D materials characterization.
-
Alton D. Romig, Ph.D., vice president and general manager of
Advanced Development Programs Engineering and Advanced Systems, known
as Skunk Works, for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. In this role,
Romig focuses on generating breakthrough technologies and designs for
aircrafts and is known as the leader in aerospace innovation.
-
Alan Taub, Ph.D., professor of Materials Science and
Engineering at the University of Michigan. Taub is pursuing
research in advanced materials and processing and leading an
initiative to establish a new center within the U-M College of
Engineering that will focus on advanced manufacturing of lightweight
material structures for automotive and aerospace applications.
The Head Health Challenge III collaboration helps implement a pledge by
NIST and the Department of Commerce to invest resources to accelerate
the development of materials that can protect against concussions, made
at the White
House’s Healthy Kids and Safe Sports Concussion Summit in May 2014.
Founded in 1901, NIST is one of the nation's oldest physical science
laboratories. Today, NIST measurements support technologies from the
smallest nanoscale devices to the largest and most complex engineering
systems. As part of Challenge III, NIST’s measurement expertise in
materials science will be essential to identifying promising
technologies, testing the winners’ products under state-of-the-art
laboratory conditions and providing technical guidance to the winners as
they seek to improve their innovations.
Overall, the three Head Health innovation challenges will provide as
much as $20 million in research and technology development to better
understand, diagnose and protect against brain injury. Head Health
Challenge I focused on discovering imaging and algorithms that will be
able to better detect and analyze subtle changes in the brain. Challenge
II focused on new materials and technologies that can protect the brain
from traumatic brain injury and new tools for tracking head impacts in
real time.
For more information about Head Health Challenge III, visit www.headhealthchallenge.com.
About The National Football League
Throughout its history, the NFL has made the health and safety of its
players a priority. This commitment extends to football played at all
ages, as well as other sports. At the youth level, the NFL’s partnership
with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the league’s
support for USA Football, including the Heads Up Football initiative,
helps parents, coaches, clinicians and athletes understand the signs and
symptoms of head injuries. The league has successfully advocated for the
passage of youth concussion laws in all 50 states. Through funding for
medical studies, including a $30 million grant to the National
Institutes of Health for medical research; collaboration with the
military on research and recognizing and reporting potential head
injuries; and the work of the NFL’s medical committees, the NFL is
committed to supporting and advancing science that will have an impact
beyond football. With a continued emphasis on improved equipment, rules
changes, and in-game policies, the NFL fosters a culture that promotes
health and safety at every level of the game.
About GE
GE (NYSE:GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best
technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in
energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering,
moving and helping to cure the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE
works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.
About Under Armour, Inc.
Under Armour (NYSE:UA), the originator of performance footwear, apparel
and equipment, revolutionized how athletes across the world dress.
Designed to make all athletes better, the brand's innovative products
are sold worldwide to athletes at all levels. Under Armour's wholly
owned subsidiary, MapMyFitness, powers one of the world's largest
Connected Fitness communities. The Under Armour global headquarters is
in Baltimore, Maryland. For further information, please visit the
Company's website at www.uabiz.com.
About NIST
As a non-regulatory agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, NIST
promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing
measurement science, standards and technology in ways that enhance
economic security and improve our quality of life. To learn more about
NIST, visit www.nist.gov.
Copyright Business Wire 2015