Quantifying Helmet Safety: The Design and Construction of a Testing Apparatus
Brandon Bryant, Nolan Faber, Shawn Fisher, Daniel Simon, Dr. Brian Dejong (Advisor)
Central Michigan University
Abstract- With the size of football players increasing and the hits that players are sustaining, the possibility of a concussion in a game is on the rise. A benchmark test has been designed for the safeness of existing football helmets. The main goal is to test and compare different helmet designs from different manufacturers to determine which of the helmets best reduces the resultant acceleration caused by head-on collisions that cause concussions. The testing will allow for better understanding of the biomechanics of head impacts in football.
Central Michigan University
Abstract- With the size of football players increasing and the hits that players are sustaining, the possibility of a concussion in a game is on the rise. A benchmark test has been designed for the safeness of existing football helmets. The main goal is to test and compare different helmet designs from different manufacturers to determine which of the helmets best reduces the resultant acceleration caused by head-on collisions that cause concussions. The testing will allow for better understanding of the biomechanics of head impacts in football.
Design
After several iterations, the final design concept chosen utilizes a pendulum arm to impart force, thus acceleration, on a helmet placed over a model head. To change the resultant acceleration on the helmet, there is an extension to the “hammer” where extra weight can be added. Also, to further control acceleration, a bar that will hold the hammer in a fixed position before the experiment can be adjusted to different heights. This bar is also the release mechanism for the system. When the bar is pulled, the pendulum will swing and hit the helmet. The helmet and head will then be free to move along guide rails and run into foam padding to bring it to a safe stop. An accelerometer will be placed in the middle of the wooden head. The accelerometer will be connected to a computer running LabVIEW. A LabVIEW program will be written to collect the acceleration over time. This data will be used to determine the acceleration reduction of each helmet tested.