Executive Summary

Spinal injuries, concussions, and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) that have driven some former athletes to suicide, and cause lifelong brain trauma to others, are terrible tragedies that can and should be reduced. While football brings light to the issue, there are many other helmeted sports and activities that are looking for better technology to protect the participants. The Turtle Shell Protective Systems (TSPS) can be part of the solution that makes all the other design technologies more effective.

Turtle Shell Protective Systems (TSPS) will create a technological breakthrough (where only a substandard product design exists today) by offering a safer alternative to the one-piece, inflexible shell design that exists in nearly all sports and safety helmets. New Information is being uncovered every day that increases our understanding of head injuries. This increased awareness is driving demand for the safest in head protection. TSPS is a unique design that will offer a safer, shock dampening outer shell system to compete with and ultimately replace the one-piece hard shell that exists in nearly all safety helmets. The TSPS design system will adapt to the requirements of all helmeted activities and the manufacturers’ individual needs. Other helmeted activities include bicycling, motorsports, hockey, lacrosse, baseball/softball, equestrian, winter sports, skateboarding, police and military, to name a few.

Market

The U.S. market for sports protective equipment was worth $1.8 billion in 2012. The market is projected to increase to nearly $1.9 billion in 2013 and $2.1 billion in 2018. Cycling is the largest segment of the protective sports equipment market in the U.S., with the expected sales of $729.8 million in 2013, reaching $786.2 million by 2018. Football is one of the fastest-growing segments, with a projected $344.8 million in 2013 and $505.7 million by 2018.

Business Model

Patent No: US 9,642,410 B2 Date of Patent: May 9, 2017

2nd Patent filed

Turtle Shell Protective Systems – Trade Marked

Simulated and physical prototype testing is being performed at IUPUI/Purdue school of engineering through a grant from The Sports Innovation Institute.

TSPS is designed to significantly reduce the trauma from linear and rotational forces. The objective is to market the patented technologies through licensing the patent rights to helmet manufacturers and the military. We would also consider an outright sale of the patent to an organization with broader reach than we have to implement this needed solution more quickly.