American football performance monitoring system to enable behavior modification
Woven Armor is a real-time performance monitoring eco-system aimed at controlling and reducing collisions in American football games. Designed for high school football players this platform not only offers players a headgear with a companion app to monitor and improve their performance but also provides peace of mind for parents by informing them of their kids' health status during games. Being introduced to high schools as part of its' rollout strategy, Woven Armor offers different services for coaches and high schools to assist them in improving their game strategy and overcoming health and safety regulations. Woven Armor is a proposal for Adidas to expand its' American football gear line while introducing a platform for multiple services.
The Service
Woven Armor platform consists of a variety of services designed to assist each stakeholder to reach their desired needs. With the headgear designed to track and monitor player's performance and measure impacts from hits during games, Woven Armor headgear acts as a data collector. Woven Armor platform analyzes this data to gain meaningful insights and is able to provide relevant information at the right time to each stakeholder. With the use of artificial intelligence Woven Armor is able to predict certain behaviors resulting in injuries which will help players and coaches prevent possible injuries.
Color-changing smart thread to inform players in the field of each others' status
Reinforced nylon with carbon fiber to provide protection against impacts
D3o layer as a shock absorbent with high breathability
3D printed negative stiffness honeycomb structure to provide energy absorbtion &
protection after multiple impacts
Accelometer and gyroscope sensors to track players' performance and location during game
3D knitted biosteel fiber to add extra strength on the highest impact areas while being elastic, ultra light, and breathable
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Material selection
The Experience
01.
Players' performance gets tracked real-time
Players’ location, impact measurement, and performance are tracked on the field by sensors and in the headgear from the first time they use their headgear.
02.
Players' profile updates real-time
Woven Armor system creates an algorithm of each players’ performance, based on the data gathered on the field and keeps updating their profile real-time.
03.
Players receive haptic feedback alerts
Players receive haptic feedback alerts via Woven Armor headgear, notifying them, they are on the margin to passing their standard performance level which indicates their harshness during the game and will be sent out of the game.
04.
Coaches real-time improvement in gameplay
During the game, coaches are able to better strategize their gameplay because of the ability to view their teams' overall performance in addition to getting specific tips and suggestions according to their teams' performance
05.
Players' headgear communication to others
Woven Armor headgear changes color when players are close to getting sent out of the game to let other players on the field know of each other’s situation and increase their team efforts to save each other.
06.
Referees ability to monitor & penalize players
Referees get notified if a player passes their standard performance level which allows them to penalize players and send them out of game for a certain amount of time.
07.
Players receive haptic feedback to re-enter
Benched out players receive haptic feedbacks letting them know when they can re-enter the game
Players
Players' performance improvement through analysis tools
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Providing individual performance profile to discover different playing behavior
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Offering a performance analysis tool to identify strength and weakness patterns
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Displaying overall players' health, number of hits and the total amount of impact in each game
Companion applications
Parents
Parents peace of mind with constant updates
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Offering the ability to track children's health and safety during games
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Notifies parents and the coach when players are getting close to risk their health during games
Coaches
Coaches enhanced game results with game analysis tools
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Offering real-time performance analysis of their team with opposing teams
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Providing game overview along with tips and suggestions to improve teams' performance
Added benefits to different stakeholders
Additional benefit to high schools
Woven Armor provides certified protocols for schools who are facing an increasing number of regulations on players' safety and concussion by the state law. These concussion protocols made by assessing players' health concussion rates assure high schools they are meeting state regulations
Expanding adidas product line
Taking advantage of adidas's technologies
Woven armor is the first step in remodeling the helmet industry by overcoming today's manufacturing hurdles. Using "Futurecraft 4D" program and 3d knit technology adidas can easily manufacture and enter American football headgear market.
Pricing & sales strategy
As part of its' strategy and rollout plan Woven Armor targets high school players, their parents and the high school itself. With the parents' desire to increase their kids' safety and always being informed, the companion app with the headgear is marketed towards them. Meanwhile, high schools need to meet safety regulations requires them to have a system in place to track and assure players' safety. Woven Armor system enables high schools to pass these regulations by providing health and safety protocols based on players' performance,
Parents
$ 1.99
Parents Application
$ 400
Headgear purchase
High schools
$ 90
Application monthly subscription
$ 4000
Application down payment
Rollout Plan
Launching Woven Armor to high schools, through their athletic advisors at parent-teacher associations, increases visibility to high schools, athletic advisors and parents. As the beachhead market advances to college years, Woven Armor launches its system to colleges, and then move to NFL league once brand loyalty is established.
High schools
Colleges
NFL league
Product Road map
Testing & development of product manufacturing & the application
Marketing to athletic advisors at different sporting and advertising events
Expanding to different sports such as soccer & rugby
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 7
Raising funds for further developments
Starting to develop customer relationships with parents at parent-teacher association
Marketing to parents at parents teacher
association
Expanding to different
neighborhoods & cities
Why American football?
Unstable future of American football
American football was a $9 billion market in 2016, but with several lawsuits against anyone liable for the game's violence and lasting damage, there is no guarantee for a safe and stable future. It is becoming vital to rethink the whole system so that football won't die in the coming years and has growth in the market share.
The Problem
Rise in number of concussions in games
Head impacts and concussions caused by contact sports are a quickly growing epidemic among athletes. 182 concussions were reported from NFL players in a regular-season in 2017.
Insights
Bulletproof looking helmets increase number of hits
79% of players use their helmet to hit on opposing player during a tackle and 46% make this contact intentionally. The use of protective equipment results in a behavioral change such as the adoption of more dangerous playing techniques. Players develop a sense of invincibility, then they are told not to rely on their protection.
Opportunity
Breaking the sense of over-reliance on helmets
With a sufficient amount of protection, players continue to adopt more dangerous and tactful playing techniques. To break the sense of invincibility against helmets, offering a soft and less protective looking helmet automatically changes players perception and behavior.
