AVIATOR NECK SUPPORT PROOF OF CONCEPT

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As an intern at Roam Robotics, I designed a proof-of-concept neck brace tailored for fixed-wing Air Force pilots in three months. The objective was to prevent injuries by applying restorative forces to the head and limiting neck displacement. I secured foam and weights to a helmet on an ATD head form to recreate the authentic center of gravity and spatial restrictions of equipment worn by F-16 pilots. To simplify the design, I repurposed a pair of air bladders from a prior project and integrated custom parts using SolidWorks. The Air Force Research Laboratory awarded Roam a $250,000 Small Business Innovation Research grant for further development based on this prototype’s success.