Rick is joined by Carter Hogg this week on Tech of Sports.

Carter Hogg of G8R Skin explains how their technology will prevent life-threatening injuries in not just football but contact sports overall and completely change the way we prevent concussions moving forward. This invention will save lives, extend careers, and reduce the negative perception of football so kids can play safely.

Having completed rigorous testing at Virginia Tech, a college football player, sophomore Carter Hogg, has successfully developed a solution that reduces concussions in contact sports by over 60%. After his older brother was beset by a career-ending concussion during a college championship game in 2022, Carter was inspired to invent “G8R Skin PPE,” a balaclava-like shell used under helmets— and proven to prevent concussions.

Carter noted a sharp decline in interest for contact sports amongst his age group due to fears of serious injury. Today he sees G8R Skin as a viable path to save full contact sports. And the scientists at VT concur. Testing at the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab demonstrated up to 61.57% reduction in concussion risk based on reductions in both peak linear acceleration and peak rotational acceleration.

Carter is the third generation of inventors in his family. His father, Jason Hogg—serial inventor, corporate leader, much-admired entrepreneur, ex-FBI Special Agent, and Cornell professor—holds more than 60 technology patents for payment processing and cybersecurity products used today by Dunkin’ Donuts, American Express, and Walmart, among dozens of others. Carter’s grandfather, Russell Hogg, invented the debit card when he ran MasterCharge (now MasterCard).

“When a car comes to a sudden stop, passengers get thrown forward in their seats,” Carter says. “Similarly, if your body throws the brakes on too fast, the brain will collide with the skull’s interior. G8R Skin reduces concussions by hastening the movement of the skull and neck during impact, protecting your brain from a serious internal collision.”

Next steps include closing deals with professional and college athletes to wear G8R Skin next season—and an expansion into shoulder pads and cleats. Carter and Jason Hogg are in talks with several pro players in addition to teams and league officials (managers, coaches, et al).