Wed, Apr 26th 2023
(SwissTech) Life as an athlete is exciting and filled with emotion. But in contact sports such as boxing, American football or ice hockey, the long-term physical consequences can be serious.
A recent study by Boston University found that more than 90% of NFL players who died had a neurodegenerative disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). This disease is caused by concussions and head injuries.
Bearmind, an EPFL spin-off, has set itself the goal of minimising long-term brain damage in contact sports. Since 2021, Mathieu Falbriard, who holds a PhD in motion analysis from the EPFL, has been collaborating with co-founders Tom Bertrand and Benoît Mariani in the development of integrated helmet sensors and software to prevent brain injuries and monitor performance in contact sports.
The technology can also be used in real time to transmit a signal in the event of a collision or risk of concussion. As well as helping to reduce injury risk, the technology can also reduce insurance costs while optimizing player performance.
The Lausanne-based start-up launched a pilot project with Lausanne Hockey Club and entered into collaboration with various clubs of the Swiss National League in 2022. Since then, Bearmind has worked towards clinical validation with professional hockey clubs, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and the EPFL.
No treatment is currently available to reverse the progression of the disease, so preventing head injuries is the only viable option. Our smart sports helmet aims to prevent the cumulative risks associated with repetitive head impacts.
Mathieu Falbriard, co-founder and CEO of Bearmind
Bearmind began its work with ice hockey teams, but its technology is adaptable to most impact sports. A recent seed round worth CHF1.3 million will allow the team to continue its scientific and clinical research efforts, focus on product development, establish new partnerships and acquire customers.
This article has been reprinted with permission from SwissTech.
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