Update: Looks like this has been getting recommended to a bunch of people in the last week for some reason. It's been a few months since this video and a lot has happened. I now have five top level pro goalies that are interested and willing to test the cage once I complete my off-ice testing. Unfortunately, the path from the proof of concept presented in this video to an actual product has been a challenge, full of setbacks and failures. But I'm still working hard on it! If you want the full story with all its ups and downs, I'm better about updating my newsletter: surjan.substack.com (I don't hide any of my failures) To answer a few common questions: Yes, this version would have allowed for sticks to get through (just like a cat eye). Newer versions will not. I do want to make a player cage as well as lacrosse, field hockey, ball hockey, etc, etc but first, I need to make a hockey goalie cage that's robust and safe. Thank you all for your well wishes and support! I'm trying my hardest to make this happen.
It would be nice for a company like bauer to pick this up and be able to ultimately do mass production. This could be huge for cages even for players going forward
Hello Surjan veer, while the money is in NHL but i feel it maybe easier to get into other sports, prove the concept. That may make it easier for it to be approved in NHL? Just a thought.
As a mechanical engineer myself I deeply appreciate that the pitch went straight to the "love and adoration of everyone around you". Five stars. Will definitely send to all the goalies I know.
Not sure why RUclips recommended this to me. I don't care a bit about hockey. But... I'm glad it did. This is fantastic and I hope you succeed wildly and leave a lasting impact on the game of hockey. Rock on, brother
Can you make a player cage? You will sell a million times more than a goalie cage. … seriously tho. The money is in player cages. Just because they don’t wear them in the NHL doesn’t mean there is not a market. I hate wearing a cage but would wear one if I could actually see what I’m doing.
If it's more durable and stronger than titanium, it's gotta be expensive as balls. Pretty sure your average minor hockey player won't be able to get this... Unless they got rich parents. Feels to me like a full-on metal cage is much more affordable, unfortunately. But I'm with you that he'd make heaps more with player cages, hell I'd get one.
As a non hockey person I thought this was the 'cage' was a mini version of the goal and was super confused LOL. Seeing the demo definitely cleared things up and is sure fascinating!
Something to consider (maybe you already have): The cat-eye cage bars are placed specifically so that when your focus is out beyond the cage, the bars can actually overlap or disappear in your field of vision. So, for example, when looking forward, 4 bars appear as 4, when looking to the side, 4 bars appear as 3. Whereas, if located improperly, 3 bars can appear as 4. I applaud your effort, and as I’ve been saying forever, we need some scientists involved in hockey gear! We’re still using technology derived from ingenious players tinkering with crappy gear in the 70’s and 80’s.
I second that! especially the middle ones in that current design (I think the side bars are so thin with the new uncage that they wouldnt really impede periphal vision or focus on the side that much)
Good luck in reaching your goal (if you'll pardon the pun). This looks like a very worthwhile project. If it gives an edge without compromising safety, then teams should be adopting this. The F1 Halo design is similar to the original goalie cage; a lot of drivers have complained about that as well regarding visibility.
I haven’t seen or heard any major complaints on the halo visibility since it was implemented, I thought most of the criticism was prior to its implementation?
@@harrisonbrand8985 when the halo was first introduced in 2018 i belive, almost everyone of the drivers hated it. since then the halo has proven itself saving numourus lives and since gaining the respect it deserves.
I’d be interested in seeing the impact in slow motion. The metal cages get a lot of their strength from their rigidity where the dyneema would get it from tensile strength. The tensile stress is much higher when the force is being applied perpendicularly to the member. Seeing the impact in slow motion would help understand what’s going on more here
Tensile strength is only an issue depending on the material. Tension is an extremely powerful thing, the reason that we have suspension bridges, tension can even make things stronger depending on the situation. That bulletproof vest part? Would you rather trust the Dyneema to stop a bullet, or fibreglass? For perspective, bullets travel at about 1,800mph/3,000kmh, or 2,600 feet per second, compared to the 83mph shown in the video... I'd be almost positive that the engineer had thought about this, y'know?
I LOVE that you asked for a PWHPA goalie for your development process. Thank you for supporting women’s ice hockey, and good luck with this super cool project!
I think this is a fantastic idea! I've always hated looking through standard metal cages both as a skater and a goaltender so I really hope this takes off. I think this kind of cage would be the perfect replacement for fishbowls on skater helmets too. Good luck getting this into the NHL!
Not really into hockey at all. Yet i watched every second of this. Even if i have nothing to do with anything mentioned in this video i want to say it was inspiring to see and hear what you do and your invention. Made me super pumped for some reason haha. Have a good one mate!
Was thinking about your cage. I mentioned some risks on another of your videos. Less than a goalie cage; this seems like a MASSIVE improvement over the broken jaw “fishbowl” cages guys have to wear when returning early from such injuries and seem to represent an effective alternative to the fog filled full cages that are mandated by the NCAA for all skaters. Just some food for thought! :)
If I were a goalie, the chalkboard flowchart would have convinced me. I'd work with Mr. Singh just for his sense of humour. I hope it works out for you, sir, and for hockey. ggs!
Hey Surjan, this is an amazing idea! But you have to take into account that the mask must also protect you from stick blades as well. This is the reason that cat eye cages are illegal at all levels below pro. Basically some of those opening might be too big.
I know I’m in no way qualified to ask this, but how does it hold up again at abrasion? Particularly in the spokes wrapping around each other. Another question I have is if its failures are sudden like a string snapping. If I was a goalie, I would be concerned about a combination of these two things. Abrasion leading to decreased strength, leading to sudden failure when hit by a puck. Either way the concept and prototype look super promising.
You seem perfectly qualified because those are great questions! Dyneema is used in cut-resistant and stab-proof applications so as a material it's quite good against abrasion. However, that is something I will be doing further testing on to ensure durability. And the failure mode I'm working towards is the yielding of the middle metallic bar before any of the strings snap, so that the cage fails safely -- with obvious visual proof that the cage needs to be replaced. Again, more testing needed to fine tune that. With something as out of the norm as this, my own standard is going to be incredibly high. Loads of testing to do before I stick on someone's face.
I think this project is an excellent example of how space-age materials need to be incorporated into aspects of society that have gone overlooked, I hope you finish your design and inspire other producers to innovate new safety equipment with advancing technology. impressive work, and an entertaining video. thank you for doing what you are doing
Dynema is just amazing really. Very interesting concept and as a hockey fan I think this is an awesome idea to pursue. Like someone else mention it could serve to help other players as well.
what a cool pitch, I'm glad you were able to get in touch with the people you were looking for like this. Good luck with the engineering and buisness side of things!
just a heads up, in climbing we are taught that dyneema has a low temp melting point so i'm worried about the dyneema touching dyneema at those two twist points where the eyeball is. with repeated impacts i bet that would be a first failure point. cheers! great job on the cage.
Yo this is sweet! A lot of the time things are the way they are not because they're the "best option" but instead because "We've always done it this way." So it's always good when a stagnant field has some fresh perspective added, wishing you all the best and hopefully soon we'll see goalies across the various leagues adopting these cages once they're finished R&D! :D
Not sure how I got here. I could not care less about hockey but this guy is awesome. I can't even see his face but I like and trust his face for some reason. I'm subscribing. Fantastic, level-headed entrepreneurial demeanor. Subtle and completely appropriate humor. Out-of-the-box, forward thinking about a problem that most people likely don't even realize is a problem. That was one of the best sales pitches I've ever seen or heard. I feel very motivated even though the only time I've ever thought about hockey was when I watched The Mighty Ducks like 30 years ago.
The gaps in cat-eyes are designed to prevent stick blades from coming through. It looks like a player's blade could slip right through the center of this.
No they aren't. They are designed to prevent a puck getting through. On a non certified car eye, there's at least 2 spots where a blade can pass, if not more depending on the design
Fellow engineer/inventor/founder to another: love the video, the solution, and the closing offer. Well done, I wish you the same path to love and admiration you offer players. :)
I don't know anything about hockey, but it sounds like you have a nice product based on a smart idea, and it looks full of potential! The best of luck to you!
Haven't guarded a net in years, but this gets me genuinely excited. I can see some big teams putting some money behind this for R&D. Another thing I love about this design, is that I imagine it would absorb some of the shock of the hit, giving you an extra second to get you head back and refocus your sight before someone comes in to attack and sink the bounced back puck.
Considering scoring in the NHL has gone up immensely this could be the key to leveling the playing field as goaltending technique is pretty much optimized at this point.
As a goaltender, I think this is fabulous. Sight lines are super critical and the bars of the cage tend to draw your eye. This is eyedeal (pun intended). Seeing this in minor hockey at all levels would also be a great move.
this is amazing. I'll love to try it. Of course I'm no pro, but I've got up to four cat eye cages bent in the course of my "carer" and I believe this would also be a pretty good improvement in my overall vision.
Awesome looking idea! Could you share what the view looks like through the cage between cat-eye and this? Maybe even youth cage (grid and youth cat-eye (if that's still a thing)). My critical view is that more/wider openings can lead to more things to get to your face - sticks, ice, finger, you name it! Best of luck!
A very interesting idea, but I worry that the Dynema not being rigid would cause stress concentrations where the line turns corners, leading to a difficult to predict plastic deformation failure, as well as the line simply stretching enough to bend around a puck and allow it to pass. It'll be interesting to see how this progresses, but in any case there will definitely need to be an easy way to restring the cage, because you're going to want to replace that line every game in a safety device.
While I am intrigued by this concept, I think it might be fixing a problem that isn't as significant as one might believe. A properly fitted mask will have the eyes lined up correctly to be looking through the middle of the cage with no bars entering into the direct line of sight. The idea of thinner (and lighter) bars is great, but I feel the only real advantage is slightly improved peripheral vision, just before the goalie turns his head to lead the rest of the body towards the puck/shooter. If proven safe, this would very likely be an excellent idea for off-the-shelf masks that don't always fit correctly, and that would reduce the number of young goalies who adjust their neck and head position to look above or below bars that are in the way because mass-produced masks can't be fit or fine tuned as well as what the pros wear. The other issue is what shape the cage will have. To appeal to the largest number of goalies, there will need to be jigs for the many different brands and models within those brands. "One size fits all" won't work in this instance. I'd also be curious to know what kind of stress the Dyneema can withstand over time before it begins to weaken or flex. The shots of impact testing aren't high enough resolution to see of there is any "give" when the puck makes impact. The "give" is what worries me as a goaltender; the Dyneema looks like it's a woven fibre and over time, any flex in the fibre could result in either failure or enough movement to allow the puck (or a stick blade) to impact the goalie's face. It would be really cool if the "bars" could be replaced (kind of like re-stringing a racquet to ensure that there is no flex, but that would need to be an affordable update on a regular schedule to ensure maximum safety. As a goalie with 40+ years of experience, I've seen a lot of very cool concepts that did not work out in a practical, game environment. I'm not looking to crap on a new idea, since innovation tends to be slow in hockey, but a sub-two minute video only begins to scratch the surface of questions I have before I'd consider putting that on either of my masks; I have both a cateye and a "cheater" (Don Beaupre-type) cage and when I'm paying attention to the puck, I don't see any bars because my mask is custom-fitted.
Yeah not really sure there is much of a vision problem to be solved. Played lacrosse all of my life with a face cage father from my face than most hockey fast masks/cages and never really noticed a problem with vision. You always adjusted the helmet so you could see and basically forgot about the bars.
Most sports have an ebb and flow... hockey in particular and you can even see it through the eras. Scoring is going up again and the average player today is significantly more talented than their predecessors. The right equipment is a great equalizer for netminders and I could see this being one of those pieces that changes goaltending for future generations. Truly awesome concept.
The main thing here is that cages are not only meant to protect from pucks; this design (as well as the traditional cat eye cage) still allows for penetration of the face window the blade or the butt end of a stick. Impact protection is one thing to be proud of, but you need to think about the rest of the game as well. Penetrating the cage is just as much of a risk as outside impact.
You think? They have been shrinking gear and goals are up almost every season for 20 years. This would be a great piece of gear to give just a little bit of an advantage back to the netminders. Would it be a massive game changer? I would love to see some studies on how useful this really is.
Wow, I am impressed. I am not really interested in Hokey, but my girlfriend is and her whole family is. So I will surely be able to see your product in action on the field someday 😊
This is awesome! My question comes with the reason that you can't use Cat Eye cages at a young age being the ability to get stick butt ends and blades through the cage. wouldn't this allow for that even more with the flexible wire and larger spacing? I'm hyped on this technology but if the tech is going to advance it needs to be MORE safe and effective than the previous generation.
As a hockey fan i am no expert but from what i have seen in games, most recently in the playoffs last year players sticks can poke through the current cat eyes and injure goalies its very rare but it happens, would be worth testing?
The algorithm is scary man... Was just thinking to myself last night during Stars vs. Kraken G7 why goalie masks are all the same/haven't changed in my lifetime, and wondering if there were alternatives somebody could use to allow for more sight.... 20 hours or so later, after no searching online or even saying that thought aloud, this video is suggested on my home page... Wild... GO STARS!!!
Very interesting idea! I'm a Canadian goalie but am currently playing semi-pro hockey in Finland. If you need someone to try it out I would be more than happy to do so. I also make RUclips videos related to hockey. Let me know if you'd be interested in doing a collaborative test video. It seems that I get hit in the face pretty often so I would be the perfect test subject. I love the vision!
The NHL is due for some upgrades in equipment especially helmets, I could really see this being the next helmet if it's as strong and reliable as you say! And surely players and teams could afford whatever the cost is if it improves performance.
Hello I was the first South Asian to play goalie in all of Ontario Canada in 80s and when I see what you are doing I'm really proud. Keep up great work. I wore cateye cage back then but they made it not legal because the stick blade could fit through hole so switched to the regular full cage
It looks like these bars are held with tension instead of their own ridgity. Is there any concern of manufacturing errors that might cause of bar to snap and damage a player's eye?
From a design POV there's an unfortunate flaw in the new bars, is that they're too thin. Strong enough, yes, but being as thin as it is, it'll likely slice the rubber coating of the puck like a cheese slicing wire. Now, if you can only replace SOME of the metal cage with your wires, I think you'd benefit greatly. Ideally you could create a variety of them to decrease Blindspots of goalies. IE: periphery versus the binocular-focal area
having watched a lot of videos on climbing and testing dyneema, i would just be worried about the long term strength of dyneema after constant temperature cycling and repetitive sheer stress on the fibers from being hit on the side. Extremely impressive prototype already though. Although i don't play hockey i love seeing innovations anywhere especially for something that cant seem to go out of style like those cat-eyed cages you had mentioned.
I am fan of UHMWPE plastics, fabrics sheets, ropes.... but problem might get here that tension must be so high that buck wont get trough any possible slit and it won't flex any towards goalies face. when tension is that high UHMWPE tends to lose some of it's cut resistance and may suddenly fail. steel might be more resilient on long term. bent cage is not failing immediately and it can take still bunches. and if only visibility is the issue there has been few clear acrylic and PC visors to replace cage. Not saying this would be stupid idea, but think to consider
I have no idea why RUclips recommended this video to me. I don't play hockey, and I lack capital to invest in this idea. But I'm glad I watched it anyway, if only for the entertainment & education value.
This got Reccomended to me but i play a diffrent but similar sport, Lacrosse. Would you ever consider working with a company such as Cascade, a company that makes Lacrosse helmets because visibilty for both field players and goalies are a huge deal and as a goalie if I were able to have less blocking my eye sight with something like this that would be incredible.
Greatest of respect and that from a 40 year ice hockey international vip hockey hall of fame team starting goalie. There are few times in my life that I get the chance to say that. I started playing when masks were mandatory for amateur tenders. Visibility is in the eye of the professional. Next work on an accordion style mesh throat guard. I was chopped in the throat once, I thought I was dead.
I think you missed addressing a more likely source of goalie injuries associated with their mask design failures (specifically the 'cat-eye' version you mention): Stick penetration. See recently: Darcy Kuemper,
You are going to have so much success with this! Seriously, this product is a winner, run to Shark Tank. I can see many applications of this technology for industries outside of sports (eg. safety equipment etc.) 🙌🙌🙌
I think you could further increase visibility by only using horizontal bars, suspended in place by thin, vertical cordage under tension in opposing directions. If you want me to help and make your dreams come true, contact me. I've also worked on spacecraft and formerly played hockey.
I don't play hockey. And am not sure why this was in my feed. But I watched the whole thing. I liked your presentation and it looks like it would be a great upgrade to visibility in multiple fields of play. I hope you find success and are able to makes this a possibility. Good luck with your endeavors!
Honestly wished he pulled a fake accent to make his product seem more like the secret of life or something lmao Also it's a pretty neat piece but I wonder how it'd fair against blades, tangling, warping and what not but so far seems really good. Just depends on whether or it'd actually sell, it definitely seems like the superior option but considering people don't like changing from standards then I can understand why you'd have problems with it.
Update: Looks like this has been getting recommended to a bunch of people in the last week for some reason. It's been a few months since this video and a lot has happened. I now have five top level pro goalies that are interested and willing to test the cage once I complete my off-ice testing. Unfortunately, the path from the proof of concept presented in this video to an actual product has been a challenge, full of setbacks and failures. But I'm still working hard on it! If you want the full story with all its ups and downs, I'm better about updating my newsletter: surjan.substack.com (I don't hide any of my failures)
To answer a few common questions:
Yes, this version would have allowed for sticks to get through (just like a cat eye). Newer versions will not.
I do want to make a player cage as well as lacrosse, field hockey, ball hockey, etc, etc but first, I need to make a hockey goalie cage that's robust and safe.
Thank you all for your well wishes and support! I'm trying my hardest to make this happen.
Man I just got recommended this 30 minutes after your comment, youtube algorithms be crazy
This just got recommended! Love the idea! Good luck
It would be nice for a company like bauer to pick this up and be able to ultimately do mass production. This could be huge for cages even for players going forward
Hello Surjan veer, while the money is in NHL but i feel it maybe easier to get into other sports, prove the concept. That may make it easier for it to be approved in NHL? Just a thought.
algorithm works in mysterious ways. i hope to see more developments on your work and hopefully wider use if adopted
As a mechanical engineer myself I deeply appreciate that the pitch went straight to the "love and adoration of everyone around you". Five stars. Will definitely send to all the goalies I know.
As a being made of rock and primordial energy myself, JFK was murdered by the CIA
I wouldn’t expect any less than an engineer announcing that they are an engineer and therefore self-appointing permission to speak 👍 classic
I will also send to all the goalies I know, which amounts to a grand total of 0.
Its rare to find someone who is this calm and collected and passionate about something they created. Wish you all the best
Whish Whish, thats the sound of me in the bushes outside your window, I am going to do something very fast, calm, and collected tonight... whish whish
@@NORMAN-HATES-YOU lmao wtf
@@NORMAN-HATES-YOU Least schizo vocaloid fan
@@muffinconsumer4431 Wait a few months and you'll understand how wrong your comment is
@@NORMAN-HATES-YOU mmm no
Not sure why RUclips recommended this to me. I don't care a bit about hockey. But... I'm glad it did. This is fantastic and I hope you succeed wildly and leave a lasting impact on the game of hockey. Rock on, brother
Can you make a player cage? You will sell a million times more than a goalie cage. … seriously tho. The money is in player cages. Just because they don’t wear them in the NHL doesn’t mean there is not a market. I hate wearing a cage but would wear one if I could actually see what I’m doing.
I agree
I totally agree with this! I hate foggy plastic and the standard cage too.
Mens league 100%
Great idea
Where do I sign?
If it's more durable and stronger than titanium, it's gotta be expensive as balls. Pretty sure your average minor hockey player won't be able to get this... Unless they got rich parents. Feels to me like a full-on metal cage is much more affordable, unfortunately. But I'm with you that he'd make heaps more with player cages, hell I'd get one.
As a non hockey person I thought this was the 'cage' was a mini version of the goal and was super confused LOL.
Seeing the demo definitely cleared things up and is sure fascinating!
Yeah that was my first assumption when seeing the thumbnail 😅
Something to consider (maybe you already have): The cat-eye cage bars are placed specifically so that when your focus is out beyond the cage, the bars can actually overlap or disappear in your field of vision. So, for example, when looking forward, 4 bars appear as 4, when looking to the side, 4 bars appear as 3. Whereas, if located improperly, 3 bars can appear as 4. I applaud your effort, and as I’ve been saying forever, we need some scientists involved in hockey gear! We’re still using technology derived from ingenious players tinkering with crappy gear in the 70’s and 80’s.
Yeah that's a great thought. Will probably take a bunch of trial and error to get there but hopefully I can make it happen. Thanks for the kind words!
@@surjan_singh amazing attitude on a great product. Keep going .
I second that! especially the middle ones in that current design (I think the side bars are so thin with the new uncage that they wouldnt really impede periphal vision or focus on the side that much)
With these wires being so thin, you would get the same effect.
@Repent and believe in Jesus Christ Its totally not a cult
This is both awesome and terrifying. As a materials engineer and former hockey goalie, I love this kind of innovation
Good luck in reaching your goal (if you'll pardon the pun). This looks like a very worthwhile project. If it gives an edge without compromising safety, then teams should be adopting this. The F1 Halo design is similar to the original goalie cage; a lot of drivers have complained about that as well regarding visibility.
Thank you! We'll see how it goes.
I haven’t seen or heard any major complaints on the halo visibility since it was implemented, I thought most of the criticism was prior to its implementation?
@@harrisonbrand8985 when the halo was first introduced in 2018 i belive, almost everyone of the drivers hated it. since then the halo has proven itself saving numourus lives and since gaining the respect it deserves.
I think getting Hockey authorities to allow this will be the biggest hurdle.
I’d be interested in seeing the impact in slow motion. The metal cages get a lot of their strength from their rigidity where the dyneema would get it from tensile strength. The tensile stress is much higher when the force is being applied perpendicularly to the member. Seeing the impact in slow motion would help understand what’s going on more here
Fair point. Hopefully the engineer considered this.
agree
Thank you physics 101. Thankfully mechanical engineers of this world can rely on your vast knowledge
@@nuttButterAMK Damn son, you really got him.
Tensile strength is only an issue depending on the material. Tension is an extremely powerful thing, the reason that we have suspension bridges, tension can even make things stronger depending on the situation.
That bulletproof vest part? Would you rather trust the Dyneema to stop a bullet, or fibreglass? For perspective, bullets travel at about 1,800mph/3,000kmh, or 2,600 feet per second, compared to the 83mph shown in the video...
I'd be almost positive that the engineer had thought about this, y'know?
I LOVE that you asked for a PWHPA goalie for your development process. Thank you for supporting women’s ice hockey, and good luck with this super cool project!
As a lifelong goaltender who is currently studying mechanical engineering this is super cool! Great work.
This seems like a great all-around cage idea that would work for all players, not just goalies. Best of luck in getting to your goal!
YOU'RE A LEGEND. I don't even play hockey but I am incredibly entertained by your video
I think this is a fantastic idea! I've always hated looking through standard metal cages both as a skater and a goaltender so I really hope this takes off. I think this kind of cage would be the perfect replacement for fishbowls on skater helmets too. Good luck getting this into the NHL!
Not really into hockey at all. Yet i watched every second of this. Even if i have nothing to do with anything mentioned in this video i want to say it was inspiring to see and hear what you do and your invention. Made me super pumped for some reason haha. Have a good one mate!
It was less than 2 minutes long..
Was thinking about your cage. I mentioned some risks on another of your videos.
Less than a goalie cage; this seems like a MASSIVE improvement over the broken jaw “fishbowl” cages guys have to wear when returning early from such injuries and seem to represent an effective alternative to the fog filled full cages that are mandated by the NCAA for all skaters. Just some food for thought! :)
If I were a goalie, the chalkboard flowchart would have convinced me. I'd work with Mr. Singh just for his sense of humour. I hope it works out for you, sir, and for hockey. ggs!
could you make a version for a non-goalie helmet cage replacement?
Keep doing what you’re doing! As someone whose career ended due to injuries it’s always exciting to see new safety innovations in the game
Would absolutely love to see this tech integrated into other sports (a lacrosse goalie)
You mean, foot hockey?
I’m a lacrosse goalie and as soon as I saw this I thought about how great this would be to have. Can’t wait to see what happens
Very cool. It seems Dyneema could have lots of interesting applications. Good luck.
Hey Surjan, this is an amazing idea! But you have to take into account that the mask must also protect you from stick blades as well. This is the reason that cat eye cages are illegal at all levels below pro. Basically some of those opening might be too big.
I like how the equipment looks the same after the impact but the ricocheting puck left a mark on the wall
I know I’m in no way qualified to ask this, but how does it hold up again at abrasion? Particularly in the spokes wrapping around each other. Another question I have is if its failures are sudden like a string snapping. If I was a goalie, I would be concerned about a combination of these two things. Abrasion leading to decreased strength, leading to sudden failure when hit by a puck. Either way the concept and prototype look super promising.
You seem perfectly qualified because those are great questions! Dyneema is used in cut-resistant and stab-proof applications so as a material it's quite good against abrasion. However, that is something I will be doing further testing on to ensure durability. And the failure mode I'm working towards is the yielding of the middle metallic bar before any of the strings snap, so that the cage fails safely -- with obvious visual proof that the cage needs to be replaced. Again, more testing needed to fine tune that. With something as out of the norm as this, my own standard is going to be incredibly high. Loads of testing to do before I stick on someone's face.
I think this project is an excellent example of how space-age materials need to be incorporated into aspects of society that have gone overlooked, I hope you finish your design and inspire other producers to innovate new safety equipment with advancing technology. impressive work, and an entertaining video. thank you for doing what you are doing
Dynema is just amazing really. Very interesting concept and as a hockey fan I think this is an awesome idea to pursue. Like someone else mention it could serve to help other players as well.
no way man this is incredible. wish you success on this project !!!
Atleast you have a Saab 96 behind you. That alone makes you a champ in my book.
what a cool pitch, I'm glad you were able to get in touch with the people you were looking for like this. Good luck with the engineering and buisness side of things!
The best inventions are the most obvious ones. Best of luck!
Man you know somethings deadly when you cant even find a negative comment on it. The product and presentation is solid af. Love it!
just a heads up, in climbing we are taught that dyneema has a low temp melting point so i'm worried about the dyneema touching dyneema at those two twist points where the eyeball is. with repeated impacts i bet that would be a first failure point. cheers! great job on the cage.
Yo this is sweet! A lot of the time things are the way they are not because they're the "best option" but instead because "We've always done it this way." So it's always good when a stagnant field has some fresh perspective added, wishing you all the best and hopefully soon we'll see goalies across the various leagues adopting these cages once they're finished R&D! :D
Is... is that a tensegrity? Coolest application of one I've seen so far 😁
Not sure how I got here. I could not care less about hockey but this guy is awesome. I can't even see his face but I like and trust his face for some reason. I'm subscribing. Fantastic, level-headed entrepreneurial demeanor. Subtle and completely appropriate humor. Out-of-the-box, forward thinking about a problem that most people likely don't even realize is a problem. That was one of the best sales pitches I've ever seen or heard. I feel very motivated even though the only time I've ever thought about hockey was when I watched The Mighty Ducks like 30 years ago.
As a goalie this is very exciting! Looking forward to the finished product, Good Luck!
The gaps in cat-eyes are designed to prevent stick blades from coming through. It looks like a player's blade could slip right through the center of this.
A stick blade can easily go through a cat eye cage.
No they aren't. They are designed to prevent a puck getting through. On a non certified car eye, there's at least 2 spots where a blade can pass, if not more depending on the design
Omg that SAAB 96 behind you! 😍
Fellow engineer/inventor/founder to another: love the video, the solution, and the closing offer. Well done, I wish you the same path to love and admiration you offer players. :)
I don't know anything about hockey, but it sounds like you have a nice product based on a smart idea, and it looks full of potential! The best of luck to you!
Haven't guarded a net in years, but this gets me genuinely excited. I can see some big teams putting some money behind this for R&D. Another thing I love about this design, is that I imagine it would absorb some of the shock of the hit, giving you an extra second to get you head back and refocus your sight before someone comes in to attack and sink the bounced back puck.
Considering scoring in the NHL has gone up immensely this could be the key to leveling the playing field as goaltending technique is pretty much optimized at this point.
As a goaltender, I think this is fabulous. Sight lines are super critical and the bars of the cage tend to draw your eye. This is eyedeal (pun intended). Seeing this in minor hockey at all levels would also be a great move.
Love the product and your presentation xD
I really hope this comes to fruition. This is an amazing design and I love the way you marketed this. Great work!
this is amazing. I'll love to try it. Of course I'm no pro, but I've got up to four cat eye cages bent in the course of my "carer" and I believe this would also be a pretty good improvement in my overall vision.
Awesome looking idea! Could you share what the view looks like through the cage between cat-eye and this? Maybe even youth cage (grid and youth cat-eye (if that's still a thing)). My critical view is that more/wider openings can lead to more things to get to your face - sticks, ice, finger, you name it! Best of luck!
This is super cool! Hope someone takes you up on this product
A very interesting idea, but I worry that the Dynema not being rigid would cause stress concentrations where the line turns corners, leading to a difficult to predict plastic deformation failure, as well as the line simply stretching enough to bend around a puck and allow it to pass. It'll be interesting to see how this progresses, but in any case there will definitely need to be an easy way to restring the cage, because you're going to want to replace that line every game in a safety device.
I’d love to see this concept applied to a baseball catcher/umpire mask!
While I am intrigued by this concept, I think it might be fixing a problem that isn't as significant as one might believe. A properly fitted mask will have the eyes lined up correctly to be looking through the middle of the cage with no bars entering into the direct line of sight. The idea of thinner (and lighter) bars is great, but I feel the only real advantage is slightly improved peripheral vision, just before the goalie turns his head to lead the rest of the body towards the puck/shooter. If proven safe, this would very likely be an excellent idea for off-the-shelf masks that don't always fit correctly, and that would reduce the number of young goalies who adjust their neck and head position to look above or below bars that are in the way because mass-produced masks can't be fit or fine tuned as well as what the pros wear. The other issue is what shape the cage will have. To appeal to the largest number of goalies, there will need to be jigs for the many different brands and models within those brands. "One size fits all" won't work in this instance.
I'd also be curious to know what kind of stress the Dyneema can withstand over time before it begins to weaken or flex. The shots of impact testing aren't high enough resolution to see of there is any "give" when the puck makes impact. The "give" is what worries me as a goaltender; the Dyneema looks like it's a woven fibre and over time, any flex in the fibre could result in either failure or enough movement to allow the puck (or a stick blade) to impact the goalie's face. It would be really cool if the "bars" could be replaced (kind of like re-stringing a racquet to ensure that there is no flex, but that would need to be an affordable update on a regular schedule to ensure maximum safety.
As a goalie with 40+ years of experience, I've seen a lot of very cool concepts that did not work out in a practical, game environment. I'm not looking to crap on a new idea, since innovation tends to be slow in hockey, but a sub-two minute video only begins to scratch the surface of questions I have before I'd consider putting that on either of my masks; I have both a cateye and a "cheater" (Don Beaupre-type) cage and when I'm paying attention to the puck, I don't see any bars because my mask is custom-fitted.
Yeah not really sure there is much of a vision problem to be solved. Played lacrosse all of my life with a face cage father from my face than most hockey fast masks/cages and never really noticed a problem with vision. You always adjusted the helmet so you could see and basically forgot about the bars.
I got a men's league goalie that would try that! But seriously, that looks really cool and I hope it works out!
This is awesome! I’d love to see more test footage from different angles. I hope you get someone to try it out.
This is a great idea. I hope to see your work on the ice in the near future.
Amazing work! Hope to see this in the NHL one day soon.
I am little interested in hockey, but damn your project is beautiful and interesting!! Wishing good luck for you on it.
Most sports have an ebb and flow... hockey in particular and you can even see it through the eras. Scoring is going up again and the average player today is significantly more talented than their predecessors. The right equipment is a great equalizer for netminders and I could see this being one of those pieces that changes goaltending for future generations. Truly awesome concept.
I wonder if they got a guy shaped like a rectangle would no one be able to score
Or maybe there should be 5 goalies on each side playing defense and 1 forward scoring player.
This is really cool. Nice work and good luck!
The main thing here is that cages are not only meant to protect from pucks; this design (as well as the traditional cat eye cage) still allows for penetration of the face window the blade or the butt end of a stick.
Impact protection is one thing to be proud of, but you need to think about the rest of the game as well. Penetrating the cage is just as much of a risk as outside impact.
True! I've since changed the pattern to prevent blade penetration (as far as I'm aware no cage is tight enough to prevent butt ends)
Good luck! I hope this becomes the new thing in hockey. Keep us posted
Good idea. Make sure that there's no single point of failure that can cause injury.
The messed up thing is the NHL isn't going to want more saves but this idea is awesome. I would imagine goalies absolutely want it.
You think? They have been shrinking gear and goals are up almost every season for 20 years. This would be a great piece of gear to give just a little bit of an advantage back to the netminders. Would it be a massive game changer? I would love to see some studies on how useful this really is.
That's what I was thinking. They want more goals, no fights, and less fans.
Clearly this is what I needed at 12:32 am
Wow, I am impressed. I am not really interested in Hokey, but my girlfriend is and her whole family is. So I will surely be able to see your product in action on the field someday 😊
This is awesome! My question comes with the reason that you can't use Cat Eye cages at a young age being the ability to get stick butt ends and blades through the cage. wouldn't this allow for that even more with the flexible wire and larger spacing? I'm hyped on this technology but if the tech is going to advance it needs to be MORE safe and effective than the previous generation.
I Like how you go from making Space ships to protecting Hockey Goalie Facers. broad resume sir
Now I want one even though I don’t play hockey
Looks great. Good luck dude.
dude i dont even like hockey and this is insanely impressive
As a hockey fan i am no expert but from what i have seen in games, most recently in the playoffs last year players sticks can poke through the current cat eyes and injure goalies its very rare but it happens, would be worth testing?
The algorithm is scary man... Was just thinking to myself last night during Stars vs. Kraken G7 why goalie masks are all the same/haven't changed in my lifetime, and wondering if there were alternatives somebody could use to allow for more sight.... 20 hours or so later, after no searching online or even saying that thought aloud, this video is suggested on my home page... Wild... GO STARS!!!
Other than the sticks going through this is a pretty cool concept.
Very interesting idea! I'm a Canadian goalie but am currently playing semi-pro hockey in Finland. If you need someone to try it out I would be more than happy to do so. I also make RUclips videos related to hockey. Let me know if you'd be interested in doing a collaborative test video. It seems that I get hit in the face pretty often so I would be the perfect test subject. I love the vision!
hope it will go for the best for you and your project
The NHL is due for some upgrades in equipment especially helmets, I could really see this being the next helmet if it's as strong and reliable as you say! And surely players and teams could afford whatever the cost is if it improves performance.
Hello I was the first South Asian to play goalie in all of Ontario Canada in 80s and when I see what you are doing I'm really proud. Keep up great work. I wore cateye cage back then but they made it not legal because the stick blade could fit through hole so switched to the regular full cage
it kinda looks like pucks coulg do through some of those holes, especially if the puck turns vertical, no?
It looks like these bars are held with tension instead of their own ridgity. Is there any concern of manufacturing errors that might cause of bar to snap and damage a player's eye?
From a design POV there's an unfortunate flaw in the new bars, is that they're too thin. Strong enough, yes, but being as thin as it is, it'll likely slice the rubber coating of the puck like a cheese slicing wire.
Now, if you can only replace SOME of the metal cage with your wires, I think you'd benefit greatly. Ideally you could create a variety of them to decrease Blindspots of goalies. IE: periphery versus the binocular-focal area
Those center vertacle ropes, would they for sure stop a puck traveling through the air on its side?
Dude this is so cool!
I love this innovation!
I hope they wont forbid your innovation, cause the big companies making the current helmets say its "unsafe" or some bs.
having watched a lot of videos on climbing and testing dyneema, i would just be worried about the long term strength of dyneema after constant temperature cycling and repetitive sheer stress on the fibers from being hit on the side. Extremely impressive prototype already though. Although i don't play hockey i love seeing innovations anywhere especially for something that cant seem to go out of style like those cat-eyed cages you had mentioned.
I am fan of UHMWPE plastics, fabrics sheets, ropes.... but problem might get here that tension must be so high that buck wont get trough any possible slit and it won't flex any towards goalies face. when tension is that high UHMWPE tends to lose some of it's cut resistance and may suddenly fail. steel might be more resilient on long term. bent cage is not failing immediately and it can take still bunches. and if only visibility is the issue there has been few clear acrylic and PC visors to replace cage. Not saying this would be stupid idea, but think to consider
maybe very high tension uhmwpe/dyneema core with loosely packed white polyester cover and core with PU coating :)
I have no idea why RUclips recommended this video to me. I don't play hockey, and I lack capital to invest in this idea. But I'm glad I watched it anyway, if only for the entertainment & education value.
This got Reccomended to me but i play a diffrent but similar sport, Lacrosse. Would you ever consider working with a company such as Cascade, a company that makes Lacrosse helmets because visibilty for both field players and goalies are a huge deal and as a goalie if I were able to have less blocking my eye sight with something like this that would be incredible.
I don't even do hockey, but the Uncage saved my marriage. 12/10, would recommend
Greatest of respect and that from a 40 year ice hockey international vip hockey hall of fame team starting goalie. There are few times in my life that I get the chance to say that.
I started playing when masks were mandatory for amateur tenders. Visibility is in the eye of the professional. Next work on an accordion style mesh throat guard. I was chopped in the throat once, I thought I was dead.
A player cage be sweet but how does it fair from say a high stick /width of blade entering the mask ?
thanks , gotta patent that now.
I think you missed addressing a more likely source of goalie injuries associated with their mask design failures (specifically the 'cat-eye' version you mention): Stick penetration. See recently: Darcy Kuemper,
You are going to have so much success with this! Seriously, this product is a winner, run to Shark Tank. I can see many applications of this technology for industries outside of sports (eg. safety equipment etc.) 🙌🙌🙌
The blackboard/wall triggered the OCD laying dormant inside me. I wanna go there and clean it.
I think you could further increase visibility by only using horizontal bars, suspended in place by thin, vertical cordage under tension in opposing directions. If you want me to help and make your dreams come true, contact me. I've also worked on spacecraft and formerly played hockey.
That could revolutionize hockey, awesome! Make a player's helmet too!
I don't play hockey. And am not sure why this was in my feed. But I watched the whole thing. I liked your presentation and it looks like it would be a great upgrade to visibility in multiple fields of play. I hope you find success and are able to makes this a possibility. Good luck with your endeavors!
Would be awesome for softball fielding masks, catchers masks, and batting helmets...cool concept and product!
Honestly wished he pulled a fake accent to make his product seem more like the secret of life or something lmao
Also it's a pretty neat piece but I wonder how it'd fair against blades, tangling, warping and what not but so far seems really good.
Just depends on whether or it'd actually sell, it definitely seems like the superior option but considering people don't like changing from standards then I can understand why you'd have problems with it.