SEATTLE — This NFL season about 70 players are wearing a new state-of-the-art helmet designed to lower the risk of concussions. <br /> <br />The Vicis Zero1, which sells for $1,500, was specifically designed to soften the blows NFL players take to their heads during games, CNN Money reported. <br /> <br />The NFL and NFL Players Association have tested dozens of different helmet concepts in recent years with the Vicis ranking highest in safety, according to CNN Money. <br /> <br />The helmet is made of four different protective layers. The outer shell is made from flexible thermoplastic that compresses to absorb shock, then rebounds, much like a car bumper. <br /> <br />Next is a layer of more than 500 polymer columns that can twist and move laterally, reducing the impact of rotational acceleration, a major cause of concussions, the Washington Post reported. <br /> <br />Underneath that is a hard inner shell that helps prevent skull fractures and brain hemorrhages. Below that is a layer of memory foam to provide the player comfort. <br /> <br />About half of NFL teams have put in orders for the Vicis helmet. NFL players get to choose the helmet they wear from an approved NFL list. <br /> <br />The NFL has been looking to address concussions, especially as the league as faced increasing scrutiny. <br /> <br />Medical experts and players are concerned that repeated concussions increase the likelihood of developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease.
