Can Technology Finally Tackle Heat-Related Deaths?

Standing on top of a 22-story building in Puerto Rico seems like an odd place for an inspiration in American football, but that is where Jay Buckalew's idea for a ground-breaking technology was born.

Working as a telecommunications engineer in what Buckalew now jokingly calls his former life, he became light-headed, dizzy and disoriented with the sun blazing down on him and his hard hat. Buckalew didn't know it then but he came dangerously close to suffering a heat stroke.

The idea of creating some type of technology to go inside of hard hats that would serve as an early warning device came to Buckalew. It wasn't long before Buckalew came up with the idea to apply the technology to football helmets.

Buckalew and his HotHead Technologies company have introduced a device, known as the H.O.T. System, that will fit into a helmet and serve as an early warning mechanism when a player is coming dangerously close to heat stroke or heat-related exhaustion. This device could potentially save lives.

The American Orthopeadic Society for Sports Medicine says that 31 football players at all levels died from heat stroke from 1995-2008. Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman Korey Stringer became the highest profile case when he died from heat stroke in 2001 during training camp.

"As the idea progressed, I started talking to different folks who could help me build the technology and sports were a natural transition," said Buckalew, the CEO of Atlanta-based HotHead Technologies. "I was aware of the Korey Stringer death that happened in 2001. As we started moving forward the natural transition was have you ever thought about putting this technology in a football helmet and that just became a no brainer.

"I was not aware of all of the heat related deaths that had occurred when I started designing the product in 2004."

The H.O.T. System, a dime-sized sensor that fits inside the helmet, serves as an early warning device by measuring cranial heat. The device is wirelessly linked to a PDA that can be as far away as 100 yards away and would alert trainers and coaches when a player on the field is getting dangerously close to heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

So far, Schutt Sports, the exclusive marketer for team sports, has jumped on board. The H.O.T. System will fit in any helmet, not just helmets made by Schutt Sports, including helmets made by Riddell and Adams. While the sensor will be an option on new and reconditioned helmets but will not be included unless purchased separately, Schutt plans to install the sensors at no additional charge.

It will be up to the schools and teams, ranging from Pop Warner to the pros, to turn on the devices in each helmet. Buckalew and Schutt executive vice president Dave Rossi estimate the H.O.T. System will cost about $99 per player per season to turn on.

The aim is to appeal to the parents, who are naturally concerned for their children practicing in extreme heat while wearing heavy equipment during the summer months.HotHead Technologies is the only known company offering such an early warning system.

"It's all about awareness," Buckalew said. "We hope to get the exposure out to the parents because that's who is going to demand the technology. I can tell you as a parent I would demand it."

Purdue is one a handful of FCS programs that are looking into the H.O.T. System. The school's director of medicine and head trainer Denny Miller was introduced to the technology during last month's National Athletic Trainers Association Conference in San Antonio.

Miller, like many trainers, was impressed enough to want to know more. But he was also skeptical. His question is how does the sensor differentiate between increased body temperature due to increased activity and an increase that would serve as an early alert of heat exhaustion?

Miller says he would like to try out the technology for a year on athletes who have suffered from heat-related issues to better determine its effectiveness.

"It's really a difficult product to evaluate but we are evaluating because we want to look at it seriously," Miller said. "No one wants these kind of problems, no one can afford these kind of problems so that's a major concern."

Another concern is costs. In these tough economic times, looking at overall team expenses that could run $6,000 or more might be difficult for teams at the college and lower levels, but Buckalew and Rossi say that's a bargain considering the alternative.

"I wouldn't want to be the school that had the opportunity to add the H.O.T. System, didn't do it and then have a player go down," said Rossi. "If we can prevent an injury. ... yes, it's an additional expense but If you are going to pay $200 for shoes, why wouldn't you pay $100 to protect this kid from something that could be life-threatening? To me it's an easy decision to make."

Buckalew agrees, adding his company and Schutt Sports are trying to convince insurance companies to give premium breaks to schools and teams that use the H.O.T. System.

"When you look at what we pay for video games and Red Bull, it pales in comparison," he said. "What we are trying to do is the major catastrophic insurance providers, is to say can we come up with a program that is going to be an awareness program."

With fall two-a-days across the nation now underway, schools like Purdue, South Florida, Texas, TCU and Ole Miss have expressed interest in using the H.O.T. System. Rossi said the device will be available this year on a limited release in order to do the proper testing and tweaking.

"What it comes down to is this: Heat is the single biggest single threat to football players, in terms of fatal injuries," Rossi said. "We want to eliminate heat as a potential problem as much as possible. We're constantly making equipment lighter and cooler. Now, we're hoping to add a tool for trainers that may be an early warning system for heat stroke. Those are huge steps in the right direction."