NFL players on almost every team are testing out a new type of helmet made with 3D printing. Each Riddell helmet is custom-made for a player based on a scan of his head. Silicon Valley-based Carbon prints seven resin pads for inside the helmet, each with a unique lattice pattern that bends and flexes to the exact shape of the player's head.
Former 49er Brent Jones is an investor, and former Bronco Peyton Manning has tested it and is excited about it, according to Carbon CEO Joseph DeSimone.
This spring, the NFL will release results to show if the new custom helmets are safer than other models. The Riddell SpeedFlex Precision Diamond helmet will be available for purchase at the professional and collegiate level later this year.