TOOL, INC. — Department of Defense SBIR Phase II: A10-129

Description

Significant controversy exists among the scientific community and industry specialists as to whether mouth guards help mitigate concussive forces in impact events. To this end, a standardized methodology for testing mouth guard material solutions will be developed and presented to the Government. In Phase I, the benefit of employing a material solution between the upper and lower dentition in a specific blunt impact scenario was validated. This was accomplished by testing selected materials in a blunt impact scenario which was limited to a direct impact to the bottom of the chin. In Phase II, a wider range of impactsincluding blast eventswill be added to the testing scenario to examine a more generalized case. A process of design, engineering, prototyping and simulation to develop a mass-producible mouth guard product suitable for military use will also be undertaken. This product will be fine-tuned based on advanced materials and anthropomorphic research as well as results from physical and analytical testing. In addition to the military arena, such a product would have widespread suitability in various sports applications.