The San Francisco 49ers are truly a team from Silicon Valley. Already playing in a state of the art facility, Levi’s Stadium, the 49ers are now employing robot tackling dummies in practice.
These aren’t just any tackling dummies, however. These are mobile robots that can “run” the 40 yard dash in 5 seconds — somewhere in between an average defensive lineman and linebacker. Weighing in at around 180 pounds, these dummies are lighter than most NFL players, but still get the job done.
Hence, these dummies can mimic offensive and defensive players in practice, allowing for defenders and offensive linemen to get more hits or tackles in without increasing the risk of injury to themselves or teammates.