Capitol News

Michigan State University's engineering team has contributed to a significant change in college football by aiding the Spartan football team with new technology. The NCAA's recent approval of coach-to-player communication for FBS teams has altered how play information is conveyed on the field. Traditionally, quarterbacks relied on visual cues or signs, but now they can receive play calls directly through a device inserted into their helmets.

MSU quarterback Aidan Chiles benefits from this innovation by using an earhole insert that enhances his ability to hear play calls clearly. This technology, already used in the NFL for over a decade, allows one offensive and one defensive player per team to wear these communication devices during games.

Andrew Kolpacki, head football equipment manager at Michigan State University, explained the team's objective: “We wanted our student-athletes to be able to get the call from their coach on the sideline with minimal interference.” To achieve this, MSU collaborated with Tamara Reid Bush and her team at the Biomechanical Design Research Lab. They developed 3D-printed inserts for helmets that help reduce crowd noise.

“We created a few different prototypes that we showed to the MSU football team," Bush stated. "They tried them out, gave us some feedback, and we refined them again.”

Rylie DuBois led the design effort as a second-year biosystems engineering student. She emphasized the importance of ensuring these inserts fit securely within various helmet brands and sizes: “A little bit of pressure won’t knock them out.”

Kolpacki highlighted the customization required due to varying helmet designs: “For every different helmet and size there’s a different ear hole cover that is needed.”

Both DuBois and Bush were thrilled when they saw Chiles using their product during games. DuBois expressed her excitement upon seeing her work on television: “Once I saw it, I was so excited. I told everyone around me, like, ‘I designed those!’”

Bush shared similar sentiments about witnessing their creation in action: “This project really encapsules two of the most rewarding aspects of our work in the lab... being able to help people and see them use things that we’ve designed or created.”

The project not only provided practical solutions but also enhanced educational experiences for students involved. DuBois remarked on how it helped her develop essential skills for her future career.

Bush noted past successful collaborations between MSU athletics and engineering departments and looks forward to more opportunities: “As engineers, we’re trained to solve problems... Our students are working on projects that matter and are being used right away.”