SEATTLE — Football faces harsh criticism as it's become alarmingly clear that a large number of football players (both professional and those who aren't), suffer from the long-term effects of head traumas that originate on the field. While some argue that the rules of the game and football culture itself need to change, others are experimenting with modifying something relatively more simple: the helmet.

The human brain is protected by a layer of fluid within the skull. However, that layer doesn't provide enough protection during sudden, or forceful impacts. When the brain hits the inside of the skull, this causes a concussion.

A standard football helmet has two layers: a hard outer shell and an inner layer of padding that's usually made of foam. According to the Verge, the several inches of padding inside slows the acceleration of direct hits that occur on the field and weakens the force of an impact.

However, several inches of foam is often not enough to combat strong hits. This is why some companies like ProTech and Guardian Caps have experimented with putting another layer of padding outside the helmet that can further weaken the force of a hard impact.

Unfortunately, adding extra padding doesn't help against hits from the side that could rotate a player's head, twisting the person's brain stem. This damages the nerves there.

A prototype helmet called Zero1 built by a startup in Seattle called Vicis has several layers of padding. A malleable but firm outer layer bends inward during direct hits. The layer underneath, which is made up of small columns, bends at an angle during rotational hits.

Football helmets are not perfect and it's unlikely they'll ever be able to prevent every type of head injury that could happen on the field. But, they've certainly come a long way.

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