Can a robot prevent head injuries?
Can a robot prevent head injuries in football? Doc Bear examines.
What if you stepped on the football field and found that your opponent was a robot?
No, neither Peyton Manning's brain nor J.J. Watt’s brawn. After having seen the capabilities of Dartmouth’s 'MVP’ robot tackling dummy, the university has received requests for the devices from all over the U.S. — and all over the world.
Fair disclosure: I was very leery of the claims that a ‘smart’ tackling dummy on rollers could make any serious difference in safer football practices. Sure, I’ve had talks with engineers on how much we can use robotic technology in the football of the future. Anything that might reduce the amount of concussive injuries is worth looking at.
I’ve treated too many patients who couldn’t control their emotions, struggled with their memories and sat with tears on their faces, trying to find words to explain what was happening to them. If something might reduce CTE, it’s fine with me. But a robotic player?
I watched it speed across the field and my only thought was, “Great - but they make lots of simple robots that travel and spin. How does that carry over into getting a quality practice experience?”
The rest is here: http://www.scout.com/nfl/broncos/sto...b9207957f3f471
What do you think? would a robotic tackling dummy be good for the NFL? I can see the potential for teaching proper tackling technique. Something seriously missing in this day and age of the big hit. What ever happened to wrapping up an opponent vs just throwing yourself at them and hoping they fall down.
It surprises me the coaching staff puts up with that!
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