Understanding Linear vs. Rotational Head Impacts and the Future of Helmet Safety Helmets have long been hailed as essential protective gear for everything from cycling to football to military and law enforcement applications. But as our understanding of head injuries evolves, it's becoming clear that not all impacts are created equal, and traditional helmet testing might be missing a crucial piece of the puzzle.
This is where the distinction between linear and rotational head impacts comes in. Linear impacts involve a straight-line force, like hitting your head on a wall. Linear acceleration causes the brain to move along a single axis—forward, backward, or sideways. Today’s helmets excel at mitigating these impacts by spreading out the duration of the impact and lowering the peak forces on the skull. Think of it like a crumple zone for your head.
Rotational impacts, on the other hand, involve twisting or shearing forces which can occur when falling and landing awkwardly, during glancing impacts, or situations involving significant bending of the neck. These forces can cause the brain to slosh inside the skull, potentially leading to traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and other serious head injuries. Traditional helmet testing often struggles to capture these complex rotational forces. Why is this important? Because research suggests that rotational impacts might be a major contributor to brain injuries. This is where the exciting world of new helmet testing methods comes in. Through Team Wendy’s work with the PANTHER Program, researchers are developing innovative ways to measure and assess the effectiveness of helmets against rotational impacts. These methods involve advanced sensors, sophisticated test dummies, and even computational modeling to better replicate real-world scenarios.
The implications are significant. By understanding the nuances of rotational impacts and developing better testing methods, we can design helmets that offer more comprehensive protection, leading to a decrease in TBI and other serious head injuries.
In early 2024 Team Wendy installed a brand-new testing rig dedicated to the analysis of rotational impacts on helmet wearers. This on-site research capability will allow our engineers to further test the effect of these impacts and create new helmet designs and technology to mitigate the injuries that they cause in the future.
While we still have a way to go, the development of new testing methods is a beacon of hope for the future of helmet safety. By incorporating a deeper understanding of both linear and rotational forces, we can create helmets that truly protect what matters most - our brains
No categories