STTR Phase I: Customized Manufacture of Protective Headgear for Mitigation of Fall Related Injuries

该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力在于能够生产定制的非污名化、有吸引力的头盔，其中包含先进的材料，以保护老年人免受因跌倒造成的头部损伤。 福尔斯跌倒损伤是一个严重且日益严重的问题，其对个人、家庭和医疗保健系统造成潜在的严重损伤和经济后果。最初针对老年人，该产品可用于寻求保持活跃而无需担心跌倒受伤的人。该商业产品是一种美学设计，依赖于定制适合消除难看的下巴通常发现在抗冲击头盔。制造的成功将导致其他保护装置的开发，如臀部保护器，然后用于其他易受影响的身体部位（手腕/肘部）。商业上的成功将是向个人、活跃的退休社区、养老院和医院的销售。进一步的成功可以通过将技术和制造工艺许可给其他行业的领导者的能力来定义，例如主动运动，包括足球，曲棍球，滑雪和极限运动。有了这个STTR，制造设计方法还将为工程专业的学生提供实践经验，这些经验可以应用于他们职业生涯中的其他项目。这个小企业技术转让第一阶段项目将设计一个可定制的小批量生产系统，用于防护头盔，以减轻福尔斯的影响。福尔斯的直接医疗费用估计为300亿美元。定制化和自动化的头帽制造将缓解之前的合规性试验中强调的问题，这些试验表明适合度对于可销售的头帽产品至关重要。这一努力将巩固我们以具有成本效益的方式制造非污名化头盔设计的能力。研究目标包括量化参数的定制适合，设计和开发的自动化制造系统的产品量身定制的个人。研究计划包括使用最先进的图像捕捉技术和测试自动化/定制方案。过程的自动化将控制产品的形状和材料细节。另一项任务将评估3D打印的应用，因为它的能力正在迅速成熟，并且有潜力创造完全定制的头盔。第一阶段的预期结果包括一个操作版本的CAD前端系统，以捕获头部件参数和设计一个小批量生产系统，将在第二阶段建立。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this project lies in the ability to manufacture customized non-stigmatizing, attractive headgear containing advanced materials to provide protection in older adults from head injury as a result from a fall. Injury from falls is a severe and growing problem with the personal consequence of potential severe injury and economic consequences to individuals, families and the healthcare system. Initially targeted to older adults, this product can be used by persons who seek to stay active without the fear of injury from falling. The commercial product is an aesthetic design that relies on custom fit eliminating unsightly chinstraps typically found in impact resistant helmets. Manufacturing success will lead to development of other protective devices such as hip protectors and then for other susceptible body parts (wrists/elbows). Commercial success will be sales to individuals, active retirement communities, nursing homes and hospitals. Further success can be defined by the ability to license the technology and manufacturing process to leaders in other industries such as active sports including football, hockey, skiing and extreme sports. With this STTR, the manufacturing design methods will also provide hands-on experience to engineering students that can be applied to other projects in their careers. This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project will design a customizable, small batch manufacturing system for protective headgear to mitigate the impact from falls. The direct medical cost of falls is estimated at $30.0 billion. Customized and automated manufacturing of the headgear will alleviate the concerns highlighted in the previous compliance trials that indicated goodness of fit is essential to a marketable headgear product. This effort will solidify our ability to manufacture a non-stigmatizing headgear design in a cost-effective manner. Research objectives include quantifying parameters for a customized fit, designing and developing the automated manufacturing system for a product tailored to the individual. The research plan includes using state-of-the-art techniques in image capture and testing of the automation/customization scheme. Automation of the process will control the shape and material details of the product. Another task will evaluate the inclusion of 3-D printing as its capability is quickly maturing and it has the potential to create fully customized headgear. Phase I anticipated results include an operational version of a CAD front end system to capture head piece parameters and the design of a small batch manufacturing system to be built in Phase II.