New LSU football helmet protects players from COVID-19 (Photo)

The LSU Tigers unveiled new football helmets for the 2020 season that will provide protection for players from COVID-19.

The LSU Tigers, the defending CFP National Champions, open up their season at home on Sept. 26 against Mississippi State. With concerns about players potentially contracting the coronavirus, LSU officially unveiled how they’ll protect their players.

On Friday, LSU’s Office of Innovation and Technology Commercialization announced that they’ve filed a patent for a new helmet cooling and circulation system to help protect players from the coronavirus. Below is an image of the customizable fan that can be placed inside helmets.

“Player health and safety is a top priority at LSU,” football coach Ed Orgeron said, via LSU’s website. “Our staff makes sure our players have the best equipment and technology so we can have them on the field as safe as possible.”

The battery-powered fans will help prevent the fogging of visors

With the SEC giving the green light for its 2020 season, players will be recommended to wear a full-face plastic covering to prevent them from breathing on each other and inhaling air droplets that could potentially carry the coronavirus. However, the plastic protectors could make it hard for players to breathe and can cause visors to fog up, thus hindering their vision on the field.

This technology will use the existing air passages in the back of helmets, where a battery-powered fan will suck in the outside air through flexible tubing. If a player wants extra protection, they can add an N95 filter to the intake. The portable battery packs will last a maximum of eight hours, which will ensure they can stay active for a full game. This will allow players to get airflow in their helmets and to stay cooler in warm environments. More importantly, this technology will help players wear their helmets and safety gear longer.

LSU has given the license to Louisiana startup company Tigeraire, who are looking to produce this technology not just for football, but for a variety of sports.

If this technology receives rave reviews from the LSU football players that will test them out, then this is an absolute game-changer for how football can be played in the midst of a viral pandemic.

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