G-Form Collaborates with Bruins Goalie Tim Thomas to Introduce Lightweight Extreme Shock Absorbing Technology

Details

Category: Tech Industry News

Published on Monday, 11 June 2012 22:06

Written by Janet Walker

Hits: 7237

G-Form, a New England based company, has developed a proprietary thin and flexible technology that changes its molecular structure to momentarily stiffen and absorb the force of extreme impacts to create a range of next generation protective gear for athletes as well as iOS devices and laptops.

During this year’s hockey season, Bruins Goalie Tim Thomas could often be spotted wearing the company’s compression gear and knee pad technology with distinct exoskeletal bright yellow on black design.

“Our unique technology doesn’t rely on thickness and bulk to absorb energy,” explains Tom Cafaro, VP Innovations for G-Form “but instead absorbs the energy of any extreme impact by using it to change molecular structure and stiffen momentarily.”

It was its ability to create a lightweight, flexible, thin layer of this technology, offering increased range of motion to absorb extreme impact that brought G-Form together with Tim Thomas.  “In goal, Tim faces the worst kind of extreme impact on a constant basis,“ continues Cafaro, “puck impacts in excess of 100mph at almost any part of the body happen constantly.”

“Throughout my career, I have constantly worked hands-on to perfect and improve my gear,” said Thomas. “Usually there is a tradeoff you have to make between the level of impact protection and the thickness and bulk of any protective gear.  When I found the G-Form technology I realized that the rules of that game were completely changed.  The G-Form compression gear, unlike anything else I had seen, was thin and flexible, yet would briefly become like iron on the outside when hit by a puck. Perhaps most importantly it eliminated the instinct to flinch upon impact.”

“We love working directly with athletes like Tim who understand equipment,” said Rick Garrard, VP of R&D, G-Form. “We are working with athletes from very different disciplines ranging from base jumpers, stuntmen, Rugby, soccer, MMA to BMX. The possibilities for athletes and other extreme applications are endless,” continued Garrard. “The technology offers a lightweight highly protective solution which for example, could be a great fit to fulfill safety regulations such as the recent NFL mandate for knee and thigh protection, and we are always looking for new athlete partners to take advantage of our technology.”

Thomas and G-Form are expanding their collaboration to refine the use of the technology to make sports safer for athletes of all ages. The continued collaboration fits exactly with the company’s “locker room out” design philosophy where products are built specifically around the needs of athlete partners.

“Given my years of real world experience with body impact,” said Thomas, “I feel this is an opportunity to bring this revolutionary technology to the next level—not only to help hockey players of all ages with better and safer gear, but to expand to other sports as well, where it could make an amazing difference – protecting from injury while leaving athletes free to move, forgetting they have it on. I also love the fact that G-Form is committed to a primarily US manufacturing strategy and has created over 300 jobs in New England in just the past few months.  It’s great to see technology that can prevent injury, is manufactured locally, and is being exported to the world, thus bringing jobs at all levels to an area that is home to many of my fans.”

About G-Form: G-Form is a New England based company that has developed a proprietary thin and flexible impact absorbing technology that is changing the rules of protective equipment.  With over two dozen filed patents on its Reactive Protection Technology (RPT), the company makes innovative athletic gear for athlete protection as well as consumer electronic device protection, and has begun exporting its game-changing set of products around the world. 

The company recently demonstrated the level of impact protection afforded by the technology by dropping an iPad unharmed from 100,000 feet on the edge of space, protected only by a G-Form iPad case which weighs in at less than 6 oz.

The company product offering includes general knee, shin, elbow and torso protection as well as unique smartphone, iPad and laptop cases. Other products are currently in development and only available “below the radar” to pro athletes and extreme beta testers. 

For more information: www.g-form.com

Information obtained via Press Release