Concussion technology

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Scientist and blogger Kyle Hill visits a couple of college American football teams in Nebraska and Virginia to see for himself the latest in concussion reducing technology.

A recent study shows that nearly 10 percent of college football players will suffer a concussion at some point in their college career. 

Blake Lawrence is one of 300,000 NCAA athletes that suffered a concussion in 2008 as a result of their athletic participation. 

A hard-hitting junior for the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers, Lawrence was lauded by coaches and recruiters for his big hits on opposing offensive players.

But the hard hits came at a price. Lawrence suffered three concussions in one year and a half of playing college ball. As he approached his junior season, he promised his family and coaches that if he sustained a fourth, he would hang up his cleats and be done with football for good.

After taking a blow to the head in practice and feeling the familiar symptoms, Lawrence knew that his football career was over. Lawrence’s decision was not an easy one, but he says he has no regrets about making the choice to quit the sport and protect his health.

“I wanted to see a long future of health and happiness and couldn’t risk that,” Lawrence says.

Kyle Hill finds out how science and technology could help solve football’s concussion problem.

Also on Tech Know: former CIA operative and analyst, Lindsay Moran meets two young entrepreneurs who are bringing to market mushroom-materials that could revolutionise the packaging industry by using fungi to replace polystyrene, foams etc – and thereby bettering life not only for us, but for future generations.

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