For the second time in 15 days, the VICIS ZERO1 football helmet is being lauded as the safest around. On May 1, the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab awarded VICIS’ 2018 ZERO1 5 Stars. The helmet also beat out sixteen other competitors.
The goal of VT’s research, which has been ongoing since 2011, is to identify which helmets reduce the risk of head injuries most effectively. The testing process involves hitting helmets with a weight swung on a pendulum arm and attempts to copy the trajectory and severity of an in-game impact. Sensors placed on dummies’ heads record linear and rotational impacts to produce an overall ‘star’ rating.