A startup company born in the halls of University of Colorado Denver has been awarded a $165,000 grant to fund testing of a new padding material its creators believe will improve safety in football helmets.
The new company, , was officially awarded the funding from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade on Thursday.
It is the second major grant the company has received in as many months. In late March, to support further development of its patented liquid crystal elastomer material.
The material, a variation of the plastic foams used to line football helmets today, is designed in a way that makes it more resistant to hardening at cold temperatures and better at absorbing collisions, said Chris Yakacki, Impressio CEO and an associate professor of mechanical engineering at CU Denver. He co-developed it with other CU professors and students.
“What we’re trying to do is make a helmet that will feel more comfortable and at the same time is better at dissipating impact,” Yakacki told The Denver Post this week.
Impressio is building a testing lab at the Fitzsimons Innovation Campus in Aurora.
