A SHIRT TO SAVE YOUR BRAIN

Football and hockey helmets do a great job of protecting skulls, but they haven’t been so good at preventing the injuries that happen in neckjolting collisions when a brain slams around inside the skull. So Charles and Rob Corrigan came up with their Halo shirt, the first product from their startup Aexos. The Waterloo, Ontario-based brothers know from head injuries: Both had to stop playing hockey as teens after suffering too many concussions. Halo’s collar, made from a “smart” polymer, is soft but instantly stiffens when met with an accelerating force. That should help immobilize the neck when an athlete is hit in the head—in theory, limiting brain jostling, and helping to prevent whiplash, too. And it isn’t bulky—a crucial plus. “Athletes don’t want to add equipment,” says Charles. “They want to stay light and fast.” The Halo ships this fall and retails for $165, and while the brothers won’t name names, they say you’ll see some notable NFL and NHL athletes wearing it— possibly by the time you read this. “We know this can help a lot of people, especially young people,” Rob says. “We’re going to do what we can to get this on as many athletes as possible.”