Today, we want to get a better look at an inventor who is working to alleviate the impact of concussions in sports.

One young Irish inventor, Mark Dillon, was concerned about the lack of attention that was paid to head injuries from full-contact sports. So, rather than sit on the sidelines, he invented a mouthguard that is equipped with built-in sensors that can detect and alert someone when a player has received a serious injury that isn’t visible to those watching.

Located within the mouthguard are a small accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer, in addition to a wireless chip and battery. Dillon calls his invention the “Mamori,” which, in Japanese, means “protect.”

While the Mamori is in use, the inertial sensors are constantly monitored for movement and then they relay the recorded information in real time to a laptop on the sidelines. Let’s say a player gets hit. Once the impact occurs, the force that was involved is immediately articulated and if the impact exceeds the threshold where a concussion is likely, medical care can be administered instantly.

This new invention works to help reduce and prevent concussions. However, that isn’t the end of this ongoing story. Although this invention will help to increase the ability to detect concussions, it won’t prevent a player from actually getting a concussion. The Mamori is full of innovative potential and only time will tell if it will be used to help ensure player safety.

Here’s a better look at the Mamori as described by inventor Mark Dillon:

Copyright Inventionland 2014

Sources:

https://www.sporttechie.com/2013/12/16/the-mamori-mouthguard-can-help-detect-concussions-from-the-sideline/

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/innovation/traumatic-sports-injuries-tracked-prevented-high-tech-mouthguard-f8C11379332

Media:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDBkQA_gEhY

The post Check out This Invention Geared Towards Sports appeared first on Inventionland.

As Wimbledon came to a close this Sunday and the winners were crowned, we couldn’t help but explore the interesting world of tennis inventions.

As obvious as it may sound, the tennis racquet is an important piece of equipment for tennis players. With that being said, tennis superstars like Andy Murray and Maria Sharapova rely on new, innovative tennis racquet inventions to help give their game a boost.

The boost in this case, is graphene. So, what is graphene and what makes it so powerful? First of all, it’s no thicker than a single atomic layer of carbon; yet, it’s stronger than diamond and it’s the world’s best conductor of electricity and heat. Not to mention, it is almost completely transparent and is entirely waterproof.

Sir Andre Geim and Sir Kostya Novoselov at Manchester University isolated the substance in 2004 and in 2010, the two won the Nobel Prize for their innovation.

In 2013, graphene first made an appearance in the YouTek SPEED racquet series from HEAD. The graphene was present in the racquet’s shaft, which let the bulk of the weight go to where it was useful, in the head and the grip of the racquet.

The design of the racquet optimized the redistribution of weight, which allowed the players to generate more kinetic energy once they hit the ball. This meant less effort and more power, giving opponents a run for their money!

Each and every day, new and innovative ways to solve problems are invented. That’s why in the world of sports, in particular, different inventions and materials are incorporated into the game in an effort to beat the competition. In this case, graphene is much like an ace in tennis in the way that it is helping competitors get a point up on their opponents!

Copyright Inventionland 2014

Sources:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/10936423/Graphene-maker-aims-to-build-British-billion-pound-venture.html

https://gizmodo.com/5975246/graphenes-newest-trick-is-improving-your-tennis-game

https://www.head.com/tennis/technologies/?region=eu&id=483

The post Learn Why Graphene is Like an Ace for Tennis Players appeared first on Inventionland.