Technology once reserved for elite athletes is about to land in the hands of weekend warriors and junior sports players across Australia. In a significant move for community sport safety, mouthguards equipped with cutting-edge concussion surveillance sensors will go on sale at Rebel Sport stores within weeks.
From the NRL to Main Street
The launch is timed perfectly ahead of the upcoming winter seasons for rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football, and hockey. The product, known as the PROTEQT mouthguard, is manufactured by the company HITIQ and represents the first time such elite-level brain health monitoring has been made available to the general public.
The same technology has been used by the Canberra Raiders for the past two NRL seasons, with their NRLW side and several other professional clubs also adopting it. Furthermore, all 18 AFL and AFLW teams have had access to the system, underscoring its credibility at the highest levels of sport.
How the Smart Mouthguard Works
The innovation involves embedding sophisticated sensors into a familiar 'boil-and-bite' Shock Doctor mouthguard. During training or a game, the device meticulously records data on the force and duration of any knocks to the wearer's head.
This information is then synced to a dedicated mobile app, providing players and, crucially, parents with clear, actionable insights. Tom Christian, HITIQ's head of product and technology, emphasised the device's role. "It's certainly not a diagnostic, but it's definitely a surveillance technology which is there to provide an extra level of safety and confidence," he told The Canberra Times.
Christian, who previously served as the Canberra Raiders' performance data and technology lead until early last year, highlighted the three key measurements the app provides:
- The number of head impacts.
- The linear and rotational forces (measured in G) exerted on the brain.
- The duration of those impacts.
A Guide for Action and Telehealth Support
Perhaps the most critical feature is the app's calculation of a "damage severity index", which scores each impact from 0 to 100. This score acts as a guide for when to seek further assessment.
"If it's above 75 then we recommend a self-assessment and essentially offer a telehealth component so you can manage your head impact," Christian explained. This integrated telehealth service adds a vital layer of professional support, allowing for remote consultation based on the collected data.
The move to retail shelves at Rebel Sport marks a democratisation of sports safety tech, putting powerful tools for monitoring head health directly into the kits of community clubs, schools, and casual players nationwide.
