View source for Shield-X

{{Orphan|date=November 2017}}
{{Infobox company
| name             = Shield-X Technology Inc.
| logo             = Shield-X logo.png
| type             = [[Privately held company|Private]]
| industry         = [[Sport industry]]
| location_city    = [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]]
| location_country = [[Canada]]
| products         = [[sporting goods|Sports equipment]]
| num_employees    = 
| parent           = 
| divisions        = 
| subsid           = 
| website          = {{url|shieldxtech.com}}
}}
'''Shield-X Technology Inc.''' is a developer and manufacturer of impact-diverting technology.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Why BrainShield™? {{!}} Shield-X Technology Inc.|url = http://shieldxtech.com/pages/why-brainshield|website = shieldxtech.com|accessdate = 2015-10-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = VentureLabs® {{!}} » Shield-X Technology|url = http://www.venturelabs.ca/company/shield-x-technology/|website = www.venturelabs.ca|accessdate = 2015-10-06}}</ref> Shield-X's decal, is designed to enhance helmet performance in [[contact sport]]s and activities where [[traumatic brain injury]] (TBI) such as [[concussion]]s occur, including [[American football]], [[ice hockey]], and [[cycling]].

The Shield-X decal, during angled impacts, significantly reduces [[rotational acceleration]] caused by [[friction]]. [[Force|Rotational forces]] are thought to be the major component in concussion<ref>Poirier MP (2003). "Concussions: Assessment, management, and recommendations for return to activity". ''Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine'' 4 (3): 179–85. doi:10.1016/S1522-8401(03)00061-2.</ref> and its severity.<ref>Anderson T, Heitger M, Macleod AD (2006)."Concussion and mild head injury" (PDF). ''Practical Neurology'' 6 (6): 342–57. doi:10.1136/jnnp.2006.106583.</ref> It is designed to look like a conventional helmet decal.

==BX-E ==
[[File:Shield-X decal on American Football Helmets.jpg|thumb|Shield-X helmet decal on an American football helmet]]

BX-E is an external decal that can be applied to any helmet. It can conform to the exterior of the helmet and can be customized to sport any logo or pattern. BX-E is convenient and easy to apply. It is ideal for football teams and it can replace conventional decals.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Why BrainShield™? {{!}} Shield-X Technology Inc.|url = http://shieldxtech.com/pages/why-brainshield|website = shieldxtech.com|accessdate = 2015-10-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = VentureLabs® {{!}} » Shield-X Technology|url = http://www.venturelabs.ca/company/shield-x-technology/|website = www.venturelabs.ca|accessdate = 2015-10-06}}</ref>

The BX-E, was finished development in 2014 at [[Simon Fraser University]]'s Head Injury Prevention Lab.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Impact-diverting technology makes helmets safer - SFU News - Simon Fraser University|url = https://www.sfu.ca/sfunews/stories/2013/impact-diverting-technology-makes-helmets-safer.html|website = www.sfu.ca|accessdate = 2015-10-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = VentureLabs® {{!}} » Shield-X Technology|url = http://www.venturelabs.ca/company/shield-x-technology/|website = www.venturelabs.ca|accessdate = 2015-10-06|first = VentureLabs® and its partners are committed to the creation and acceleration of world-class, sustainable and scalable growth companies, and ‘powering up’ these ventures with the amazing talent, research expertise, technologies, entrepreneurial expertise and government assistance programs available right here in|last = BC.}}</ref>

Currently, the majority of available helmet designs are made and tested only to protect the head against direct radial impacts, which cause a [[Linear motion|linear]] [[acceleration]] of the brain.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings: FAQ|url = http://www.beam.vt.edu/helmet/faq.php#linear|website = www.beam.vt.edu|accessdate = 2015-10-08}}</ref>
<ref>{{Cite web|title = Standard Performance Specification For Newly Manufactured Football Helmets|url = http://nocsae.org/wp-content/files_mf/1396898424ND00213m13MfrdFBHelmetsStandardPerformance.pdf|accessdate = 2017-02-08}}</ref> However, a helmet almost always [[Impact (mechanics)|impacts]] an obstacle obliquely (at an angle) causing injury due to both linear and [[rotational acceleration]] of the [[brain]]. The brain tissue is six orders of magnitude or 1,000,000 times more sensitive to [[shear force]]s than to compression forces.
<ref>{{Citation
 | last1 = Kleiven| first1 = Svein
 | title = Why Most Traumatic Brain Injuries are Not Caused by Linear Acceleration but Skull Fractures are
 | journal = Front Bioeng Biotechnol
 | volume = 1
 | pages = 15
 | date = 7 November 2013
 | pmc = 4090913
 | doi = 10.3389/fbioe.2013.00015
 | pmid = 25022321
 | doi-access = free
 }}</ref>

Through standard oblique drop tests of American football, ice hockey, bicycle and motorcycle helmets using a standard human headform, it was found that reducing the frictional force can significantly reduce the rotational acceleration experienced by the headform. BX-E was first tested during the 2014 season of [[Simon Fraser Clan|Simon Fraser University's Clan Football Team]]. "According to the coach ([[Jacques Chapdelaine]]), the number of concussions dropped from 14 cases in 2013 to only four cases in 2014."<ref>{{Cite web|title = New 'patch' could prevent brain injuries|url = https://vancouversun.com/touch/story.html?id=11406803|website = www.vancouversun.com|accessdate = 2015-10-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = Helmet sticker may reduce concussions|url = http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/helmet-patch-concussions-1.3257506|accessdate = 2015-10-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = BrainShield™ Debut: SFU Football Team {{!}} Shield-X Technology Inc.|url = http://shieldxtech.com/blogs/news/19163535-brainshield-debut-sfu-football-team|website = shieldxtech.com|accessdate = 2015-10-06}}</ref> BX-E was brought into commercial use in October 2015 after being adopted by the football teams of [[Handsworth Secondary School]] and [[Vernon Secondary School]].

=== Technology ===

Shield-X Technology claims the technology serves the purpose of a conventional [[decal]] (display a logo) while also including the function of an 'Impact Diverting Decal'. An 'Impact Diverting Decal' functions by reducing the [[Magnitude (mathematics)|magnitude]] of [[friction]] force applied on a helmet during an angular impact by reducing the coefficient of friction. The frictional force acts [[tangent]]ially to the curvature of a helmet and is distal to the [[center of mass]] of the mass system (defined by the helmet, [[skull]] and brain) by a radius '''r'''. This results in a moment or [[torque]] around the center of mass and a [[rotational acceleration]]. This is shown in the equation below:  
 
<math>Torque = \boldsymbol \tau = \mathbf{r}\times \mathbf{F}\,\!</math> 
:<math>\boldsymbol\tau</math> is the torque vector and <math>\tau</math> is the magnitude of the torque,
:'''r''' is the displacement vector (a vector from the center of mass (axis of rotation) to the point where friction force is applied),
:'''F''' is the friction force vector,
:× denotes the [[Cross product]] 
: 
By reducing the magnitude of friction force '''F''', torque is reduced as well as rotational acceleration of the brain. Rotational acceleration of the brain can apply shear force on brain tissue which is one of the major factors in head injuries such as [[concussion]]s. The mechanism also allows the impact zone to slide along the side of a helmet. This enables the helmet to perform better by spreading the compression force. BX-E is 1&nbsp;mm or 3/64 of an inch thick and is applied to the outside of a helmet.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Why BrainShield™? {{!}} Shield-X Technology Inc.|url = http://shieldxtech.com/pages/why-brainshield#howitworks|website = shieldxtech.com|accessdate = 2015-10-06}}</ref> BX-E is composed of four micro-engineered layers; [[aerospace]]-grade film, a micro-layer of non-toxic medium, a highly conformable film and a [[solvent]]-free high strength [[adhesive]].

=== Patent ===

The patent for BX-E has a filing date of June 29, 2012 with a priority date of June 30, 2011.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US20140189945 | title=Impact diverting mechanism }}</ref>

== BX-I == 
[[File:Shiled-X BX-I .jpg|thumb|Shield-X BX-I placed on the inside of a bike helmet]]

The BX-E can be modified and embedded within a helmet to enhance its performance. 
BX-I integrates the technology with helmets from the inside, rendering itself invisible. It can be easily tailored to the contours of the helmet without any restructuring. This is ideal helmets such as bicycle, skiing or motorcycle, in which BX-I can be combined with the fit pad layer to be seamlessly integrated into the design.
<ref>{{cite web | url=https://shieldxtech.com/pages/bx-i | title=BX-I }}</ref>

== BX-C == 
[[File:Shield-X BX-C.jpg|thumb|Shield-X BX-C worn by plastic mannequin]]
BX-C is the first in a series of planned Shield-X wearable devices. BX-C is a cap infused with the Shield-X membrane to provide a convenient armor against the sharp twisting of the brain. BX-C has been engineered to be thin, fitting snuggly underneath a helmet. Its durable, flexible materials make it reusable and machine washable.
<ref>{{cite web | url=https://shieldxtech.com/pages/bx-c | title=BX-C }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website|http://www.shieldxtech.com/}}

[[Category:Technology companies of Canada]]
[[Category:Helmets]]