Source: Unequal Technologies
Unequal’s Patented Composite Originally Developed for the Military Could Reduce the Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death and Concussion in Sports
DALLAS — September 15, 2016 — Unequal Technologies has introduced the world’s only athletic gear that has been shown in laboratory tests to be effective in reducing the risk of Commotio Cordis, a tragic disruption of the heart rhythm in baseball, lacrosse and other youth sports, in which a ball, stick or hand strikes an athlete’s chest, inducing sudden cardiac arrest. The Unequal HART® protector was tested at Tufts Medical Center by a team of cardiac and medical professionals, including Mark Link, MD, a board-certified cardiac electrophysiologist and leading worldwide authority on Commotio.
“I've been studying the causes and effects of Commotio Cordis for decades and am excited to work with a technology that offers excellent protection," said Dr. Link, who has authored or participated in more than 30 medical papers and studies on the condition. "My scientific model up until now has been the only widely accepted method available for manufacturers to test a Commotio Cordis protection claim. After the rigor of extensive randomized impact testing, I am able to report that Unequal HART® protection is the only effective chest protector I have seen that has the potential to significantly reduce the risk of sudden death from Commotio Cordis."
A longtime leader in cardiac research, Tufts Medical Center was recently named one of the top cardiovascular hospitals in the nation by Truven Health Analytics and has made significant contributions to the study of Commotio Cordis. Dr. Link extensively tested commercial chest protectors and Unequal’s proprietary composite and reported in a peer-reviewed research study that the Unequal HART® Protector is the only brand of chest protector tested that has the potential to reduce the risk of Commotio.
“Tufts Medical Center has granted Unequal a worldwide exclusive license for our Commotio Cordis patent portfolio,” said Richard Karas, MD, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at Tufts Medical Center. “Dr. Link's inventions are groundbreaking in this field and have made Tufts Medical Center a leading research center for understanding this deadly cardiac phenomenon. We are pleased that advanced safeguards are being made available for young athletes.”
“Most people now are aware of the serious threat a ‘head’ concussion poses to athletes but awareness of deadly ‘cardiac’ concussions – Commotio Cordis – is unbelievably low,” stated Unequal CEO and Founder Rob Vito. “The threat of Commotio is too serious to ignore and could present in any athletic activity where a ball, puck, stick or another player can make contact with the chest. Sadly, 33 percent of Commotio deaths have occurred while an athlete was wearing a chest protector that was ineffective against Commotio, but these products continue to be sold to unsuspecting parents, coaches and athletes, lulling them into a false sense of security. Unequal’s mission is to create awareness for Commotio and help protect and preserve the athlete’s mental and physical health with products like our Halo and Gyro headgear and our revolutionary HART® Protector, which has created a new category of effective protection against Commotio Cordis, giving athletes and parents peace of mind.”
From the World Cup to the NFL, more and more of the world’s premier athletes are utilizing Unequal’s fortified products in the heat of battle. The HART® Protector, Halo and Gyro headgear predict a lower risk of concussions and Commotio, which are two of the biggest threats to professional, collegiate and youth athletes. Originally designed for the U.S. military, Unequal’s patented protection is made with ImpacShield®, Kevlar®, Accelleron® and Airilon® materials, all of which were scientifically formulated and battle tested by soldiers, law enforcement and athletes.
“As parents and athletes learn more about the long-term health risks associated with contact sports, the participation rates are rapidly declining because parents are choosing safety over sports,” said Vito. “Unequal is a new category of protection that makes sports safer with real, reliable protection for competitive athletes from the Pros to the Joes, while providing peace of mind for coaches and care givers.”
Products featuring Unequal’s patented HART® technology, including the HART® Pad, HART® Shirt, HART® Catcher Chest Protector and HART® Goalie Chest Protector, are now available for purchase at www.Unequal.com.
About Unequal
Unequal's mission is to protect soldiers on the battlefield and players on the sportsfield. Its patented fusion of a military-grade composite, made of TriDur™ aramid fabric, Accelleron®, Airilon® and ImpacShield®, is engineered for customized, concealed protection. With the creation of HART®, Unequal now offers the first chest protector that is effective in helping protect from Commotio Cordis on the playing field. Professionals in the NFL, MLB, NHL and X Games, as well as Olympic athletes, collegiate and youth athletes in football, baseball, soccer, hockey, lacrosse, action sports, contact sports and other activities, wear Unequal's protective head and body gear. Unequal's technology is protected by 100 worldwide patents.
Its products have been tested by US Government agencies, accredited laboratories, OEM facilities and top universities. An attendee at the recent White House Concussion Summit, Unequal is recognized as one of Forbes 100 Most Promising Companies, ESPN's Top 15 Best Sports Innovations, the #1 Tech Innovation by Esquire.com and winner of the DuPont™ Kevlar® Innovation Award. For more information, visit https://unequal.com/ or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #UnequalProtects.
Unequal HART® Protectors have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to treat, cure, diagnose or prevent any disease.
Kevlar® is a registered trademark of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company or its affiliates (“DuPont”). Use of the Kevlar® mark herein is for source identification only and does not indicate or imply any license, affiliation, endorsement, or sponsorship of Unequal’s products by DuPont.
