An apparatus, method, computer program product, and/or system are described that determine an event, actuate a cushioning element in response to the determining the event, the cushioning element including one or more tension-bearing members, and dissipate at least some of an energy associated with a collision based on deforming at least one of the tension-bearing members during the collision, the deforming including substantially inelastically stretching the at least one of the tension-bearing members. Other example embodiments are also provided relating to actuatable cushioning elements.

A low drag garment is made from a fabric having a textured region with a texture height H, wherein the texture height H increases substantially continuously with the surface angle θ in said textured region. Optionally, the substantially continuous increase in texture height H comprises a plurality of incremental increases in texture height, and wherein each incremental increase in texture height is less than 200 μm.

A leg-protecting apparatus is arranged in close contact with a body surface of a wearer to cover a thigh, a knee, and a calf of the wearer, including a biomechanically protecting strap arranged to correspond with structural locations and paths of tendons and ligaments of the knee and muscles proximal thereto during an exercise process. The strap comprises a cruciate ligament protecting strap, a patellar tendon protecting strap, a thigh muscle group protecting strap, and a calf muscle group protecting strap. Elastic moduli of the cruciate ligament protecting strap and the patellar tendon protecting strap has a step-change upon a change in a fabric tensile ratio caused by the knee bending of the wearer, wherein the step-change occurs after an initial low tensile modulus stage, during a tensile sudden-change stage, and before a high tensile modulus stage transitioning between the stages as knee angle decreases.

In one embodiment, a particular state of a body is sensed. In response to the sensing, at least one action is taken to modulate a projected adverse interaction between the body or a portion thereof and at least one object in the environment of the body.

An apparatus, methods and computer program product, and system are described that enable a first subset of actuatable cushioning elements for a first time period, enable a second subset of actuatable cushioning elements for a second time period, determine an event, and actuate, based on a time the event is determined, at least one of the first and the second subsets of actuatable cushioning elements to provide cushioning support for an object. Other example embodiments are also provided relating to actuatable cushioning elements.

An apparatus, methods and computer program product, and system are described that enable a first subset of actuatable cushioning elements for a first time period, enable a second subset of actuatable cushioning elements for a second time period, determine an event, and actuate, based on a time the event is determined, at least one of the first and the second subsets of actuatable cushioning elements to provide cushioning support for an object. Other example embodiments are also provided relating to actuatable cushioning elements.

An apparatus, method, computer program product, and/or system are described that determine an event, actuate a cushioning element in response to the determining the event, the cushioning element including one or more tension-bearing members, and dissipate at least some of an energy associated with a collision based on deforming at least one of the tension-bearing members during the collision, the deforming including substantially inelastically stretching the at least one of the tension-bearing members. Other example embodiments are also provided relating to actuatable cushioning elements.

An apparatus, method, computer program product, and/or system are described that determine an event, actuate a cushioning element in response to the determining the event, the cushioning element including one or more tension-bearing members, and dissipate at least some of an energy associated with a collision based on deforming at least one of the tension-bearing members during the collision, the deforming including substantially inelastically stretching the at least one of the tension-bearing members. Other example embodiments are also provided relating to actuatable cushioning elements.

An apparatus, method, computer program product, and/or system are described that determine an event, actuate a cushioning element in response to the determining

A protective shin guard includes a floating knee section hingedly attached to a shin section, both sections being formed of one or more hard shell panels. The floating knee section is attached to the shin section by a main padding layer, and a liner is attached beneath the main padding layer. The liner includes an integral cut-resistant calf-sleeve attached along its bottom edge and extending downward. The cut-resistant calf-sleeve is an elastic tubular sleeve formed of a weave of elastic/cut-resistant fibers, e.g., Kevlar and Spandex. The cut-resistant calf-sleeve is long enough to surround both the calf and the ankle. The cut-resistant calf-sleeve also provides a lower attachment feature that combines with an upper 360+ degree attachment strap to provide a better fit that will not shift or come loose during play.

An impact force dampening and defusing structure includes a plurality of components arranged in a grid array. A component has a three-dimensional geometric shape that includes an impact receiving surface area and an impact defusing surface area. The impact defusing surface area is larger than, and a distance d from, the impact receiving surface area. The component includes a material composition and, when an impact force strikes the impact receiving surface area of the component and the impact force dampening and defusing structure is in position to protect a body part, the component contributes to reducing pressure on the body part based on the material composition, the distance d, the impact receiving surface area, and the impact defusing surface area.

An athletic protective wrap that properly secures, and maintains, a shin guard in position relative to a lower portion of a leg without permitting a plurality of protective pads to come into direct contact with a skin of a participant of an athletic activity. This is done through the utilization of the creation of an interlocking phenomenon of the plurality of protective pads, which is achieved through wrapping the athletic protective wrap around the lower leg of the participant of the athletic activity.

A force defusing structure includes first and second plurality of spherical shaped objects. A first spherical shaped object is proximally positioned to two or more second spherical shaped objects. When a force is applied to the first spherical shaped object, the first spherical shaped object collides with the two or more second spherical shaped objects to defuse the force based on a multi-dimensional collision between the first spherical shaped object and the two or more second spherical shaped objects.

An impact force dampening and defusing structure includes a plurality of components arranged in a grid array. A component has a three-dimensional geometric shape that includes an impact receiving surface area and an impact defusing surface area. The impact defusing surface area is larger than, and a distance d from, the impact receiving surface area. The component includes a material composition and, when an impact force strikes the impact receiving surface area of the component and the impact force dampening and defusing structure is in position to protect a body part, the component contributes to reducing pressure on the body part based on the material composition, the distance d, the impact receiving surface area, and the impact defusing surface area.

Hockey goalkeeper leg pads wearable on legs of a hockey goalkeeper to protect the legs, in which the hockey goalkeeper leg pads may be configured to enhance performance, comfort and/or other aspects of goalkeeping of the hockey goalkeeper, including when the hockey goalkeeper leg pads drop onto a playing surface (e.g., ice) to lie substantially horizontally on the playing surface with their front facing play (e.g., as in a butterfly position or otherwise).