Helmets Monitor Player Temperatures to Watch for Heat Stroke

[Doomsday101]

I saw a recent report on this device

Football players are prone to heat strokes due to the gear and helmets they wear, compounded by working out in off-season training facilities in places like Florida and Arizona. While training in 2001, Minnesota Vikings lineman Korey Stringer died due to heat stroke. To allow teams to monitor the players' individual temperatures, Hothead Technologies out of Atlanta, Georgia has developed sensors that can be built into helmets to provide live wireless updates.

From Popular Science:

The Heat Observation Technology (HOT) system uses an electric thermometer called a thermistor, a spoon-size device made of metals whose electrical resistance vary with temperature. Inserted under the padding of a standard helmet, the thermistor measures the temperature in the player's temporal artery and uses a built-in radio to transmit temperatures between 99.9° and 110°F — heat illness typically sets in around 104° — every 10 seconds to a PDA monitored by a coach or trainer on the sidelines.


http://medgadget.com/archives/2009/06/helmets_monitor_player_temperatures_to_watch_for_h eat_stroke.html

[adbutcher]

That is neat. I wish they had that when I played because I could have sworn that I had at least two heat strokes in the Louisiana heat.:)

[Doomsday101]

That is neat. I wish they had that when I played because I could have sworn that I had at least two heat strokes in the Louisiana heat.:)

Same here. I can remember many of time losing my lunch during wind sprints as I started to get over heated here in the hot Texas sun. We would practice for 2 hours in the heat then go into a series of wind sprints that would kill you.

[adbutcher]

Same here. I can remember many of time losing my lunch during wind sprints as I started to get over heated here in the hot Texas sun. We would practice for 2 hours in the heat then go into a series of wind sprints that would kill you.

It was the gasers after practice that did it for us, four gasers for time was a mother. I can still taste the hot water that came from the PVC pipes with holes in them when I was in high school. At least in college we had the cold octopus but that didn't offer any reprieve from the sun.

[Doomsday101]

It was the gasers after practice that did it for us, four gasers for time was a mother. I can still taste the hot water that came from the PVC pipes with holes in them when I was in high school. At least in college we had the cold octopus but that didn't offer any reprieve from the sun.

I just hope this new technology can help prevent some young kid dying on the field. It clearly will give coaches and exact reading on the players condition as far as body heat. From what I saw as the monitor hits a certain temp level the PDA goes off and let the coach or trainer will know which player is getting close to the critical stage.

[adbutcher]

I just hope this new technology can help prevent some young kid dying on the field. It clearly will give coaches and exact reading on the players condition as far as body heat. From what I saw as the monitor hits a certain temp level the PDA goes off and let the coach or trainer will know which player is getting close to the critical stage.

Me too, if it manages to save just one life it is worth the cost. Thanks for the post.

[daschoo]

Me too, if it manages to save just one life it is worth the cost. Thanks for the post.

think this is something that sports in general should be looking at. i know that football (soccer) over here has just recently started doing checks for heart defects after a spate of deaths on the pitch in recent years.

[Doomsday101]

think this is something that sports in general should be looking at. i know that football (soccer) over here has just recently started doing checks for heart defects after a spate of deaths on the pitch in recent years.

According to the report I saw it is not just sports but the military and fire fighters are looking into this. Right now the cost is 100 dollars per device

[daschoo]

According to the report I saw it is not just sports but the military and fire fighters are looking into this. Right now the cost is 100 dollars per device

to be honest i was speaking more generally regarding health checks in sport than this particular example. but yeah its great that the technology is there and being used for this in a variety of fields

[the kid 05]

According to the report I saw it is not just sports but the military and fire fighters are looking into this. Right now the cost is 100 dollars per device

color me ignorant but why and how would the temp thing not be effected by the heat of the fires?

[joseephuss]

color me ignorant but why and how would the temp thing not be effected by the heat of the fires?

They would have to be modified to account for the heat of a fire that does get through their protective clothing, but it could be done.

[Phrozen Phil]

A great use of technology. Here's hoping it moves into the aforementioned areas. As far as firefighters go, the temperature that would be monitored would be the temerature that is inside the helmet. This is great news for anyone who needs to monitor body temps. I can see this being good news for those working in the cold as well.