5 Technology Innovations That Are Changing Football

Get out the chips, dip, and brews; preseason football has begun. Soon we’ll see cooler weather, clashing helmets, flags and penalties and…technology? 

That’s right, technology. The century-and-a-half-year-old sport is not immune to innovation, and coming this season, there is some very cool technology making its way into the game. Let’s take a look at 5 innovations that are changing football.

1.   CONCUSSION PREVENTING HELMET 

      Riddell is working on a helmet that will help to avoid concussions by minimizing the impact of powerful hits by diffusing the blow and alerting the sideline through sensors.  The new helmet, called Speed Flex, will be rolled out on college fields this fall and may move into other leagues based on the success and reliability of the product.

In as little as a decade, we may even be able to see concussions through medical testing equipment. Concussions aren’t currently viewable on CT scans and many are missed because of this. The athletic and medical communities are making great strides to ensure players’ safety. 

2.   APPS, APPS, APPS 

      Tired of waiting in line for your $6 hotdog? NFL fields are creating apps that allow you
to order food right from your seat. If you’re sitting pretty in an expensive seat, your food can be delivered right to you. Otherwise, you have to go to a pickup location.

If you have a front-row seat on the couch at home, there is a new NFL app available to Xbox One and Windows 8 that allows you to personalize your game experience with different teams and players, media choices, and Fantasy Football. 

3.   GOAL-LINE TECHNOLOGY 

      Goal-line technology was unveiled during the 2014 World Cup. This method uses a series of high-speed video cameras to track the position of a ball using triangulation and then alerts officials whether the score was good or not. Although designed for tennis, cricket, and soccer, goal-line technology, or Hawk-Eye, could be easily adapted for use in the NFL.

Paul Hawkins, inventor of Hawk-Eye, has been talking to American sports leagues such as the NFL to discuss the possible integration of this technology. Goal-line technology would take out the subjective bias of referees on close calls, something that fans will appreciate. 

4.   IMPROVED DATA SYSTEMS 

      Next Gen Stats, developed by Zebra Technologies, will use real-time location system to track players and officials and collect and provide data such as speed, position, and distance. These pieces of data will be used to generate new reports and statistics that will change coaching, training, and the fans’ game experience. This works through a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag sewn into players’ jerseys.
 
“Working with Zebra will give fans, teams, coaches, and players a deeper look into the game they love,” said Vishal Shah, NFL Vice President of Media Strategy.

5.   TABLETS GALORE 

      Microsoft has partnered with the NFL to provide Surface tablets for coaches and players on the sidelines. Previously, the NFL had used Polaroid pictures or printed sheets with images and information from the play, which took up to 40 seconds to upload. Now, they only have to wait five seconds to receive information from the tablet. The tablets are operating on closed networks to prevent information from being hacked. Coaches and players aren’t Tweeting or taking video of the game, but so far, the Surface tablets have been received well in the football community. 

Safety, statistics, and fan experience seem to be the highest priorities for football innovation currently.  Now that the NFL is using apps, tablets, and concussion technology, who knows what the next few years will bring. 

What impact do you think these advances will have on football? What technology do you think the NFL should adopt?

How Wearable Tech is Evolving into the Coolest Gadgets Today

With the proliferation of Smartphones and the accompanying drop in prices of data, you can be connected to anyone, anywhere, at any time. Middle school children are demanding iPhones so they are able to text and connect with friends and social media networks, and Baby Boomers share Facetime with grandchildren across the country. A large portion of our society expects to be connected, and they are willing to pay the costs necessary to do so quickly and conveniently. Demand is such that innovators and entrepreneurs have moved into developing ways to connect without the inconvenience of having to hold a Smartphone in your hand. Welcome to the new and ever-expanding world of wearable technology.

New Tech Innovations at the 2014 World Cup

Outside of the Olympics, the World Cup is the biggest sporting event held globally. The final of the Brazil World Cup 2014 will be watched by at least 1 billion people, and the US has really been paying attention to the action this year with the match between the USA and Ghana being watched by up to 11 million ESPN viewers, a record for the channel. With so much viewership, this is the perfect spot to promote innovation and new product designs. Here are a few you should keep a look out for this year.

The Best and The Worst: Super Bowl 2014 Product Commercials

by Mary Faller

The Super Bowl is one of the most watched broadcasts in television and one of the main reasons, aside from the big game, is for the commercials. Businesses spend about $4 million on a 30-second spot. If they succeed in their marketing strategy, that particular commercial could be the buzz of the Internet and indeed the world. If they do not, their brand name could suffer negative buzz. We are always on the lookout for the best in innovative product marketing and advertising, so we made a list of what we thought were the best and worst of Super Bowl XLVIII.

First, let’s take a look at the best commercials:

1. Budweiser “Puppy Love” Budweiser has been a major contributor to the commercials of past Super Bowls and with each passing year, the commercials evolve and improve. This commercial was memorable because it struck a heart chord with the adorable puppy that didn’t want to leave his best friend (the Clydesdale horse). The Clydesdale horses are a signature icon and this commercial brought heart to the major company.

Must See Tradeshows for New Product Innovation in 2014

by Mary Faller

The 2014 tradeshow schedule has been released for the world of innovative invention ideas, business owners, investors, and inventors. Specialized tradeshows for sporting goods, construction equipment, automotive, hospitality, pets, and many more categories will be held all over the United States this year. These tradeshows allow inventors and businesspeople alike to collaborate at one location, drawing attention to innovative ideas as well as exposure to potential partnerships.