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

该项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力在于能够制造定制的、不带污名的、有吸引力的、包含先进材料的头饰，为老年人提供保护，防止因跌倒而导致的头部损伤。跌倒伤害是一个严重且日益严重的问题，对个人、家庭和医疗保健系统造成潜在的严重伤害和经济后果。该产品最初针对老年人，可用于寻求保持活跃，而不用担心摔倒受伤的人。这款商业产品是一种美学设计，依靠定制的贴合，消除了抗冲击头盔中常见的不美观的下巴带。制造的成功将导致其他保护装置的发展，如臀部保护装置，然后是其他易受影响的身体部位（手腕/肘部）。商业上的成功将是对个人、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过程授权给其他行业的领导者来定义，例如活跃的体育运动，包括足球，曲棍球，滑雪和极限运动。通过这个STTR，制造设计方法也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。这个小型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，用于保护头套，以减轻跌倒的影响。跌倒的直接医疗费用估计为300亿美元。定制和自动化的头饰制造将减轻先前合规试验中强调的问题，这些试验表明，良好的契合度对于销售头饰产品至关重要。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饰设计的能力。研究目标包括量化定制配合的参数，设计和开发针对个人定制产品的自动化制造系统。研究计划包括在图像捕获和自动化/定制方案测试中使用最先进的技术。该过程的自动化将控制产品的形状和材料细节。另一项任务是评估3d打印的功能，因为它的功能正在迅速成熟，并且有可能制造完全定制的头饰。第一阶段的预期结果包括一个CAD前端系统的操作版本，用于捕获头件参数，以及将在第二阶段建立的小批量制造系统的设计。

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.