Team Wendy® Awarded First Place in PM ICE Helmet Retention Competition
U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command Selects Patented CAM FIT™ Retention System as Overall Winner in Prize Challenge
CLEVELAND, April 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Cleveland-based Team Wendy® was awarded first place and a cash prize of $25,000 for its submission of the patented CAM FIT™ Retention System in the Marine Corps Systems Command's PM ICE Helmet Retention Competition.
Within the next year, the Marine Corps plans to field new, more capable night vision devices (NVDs) that are larger and heavier than their current NVDs. This raised concerns about the current retention system in their Enhanced Combat Helmet (ECH), and prompted them to hold a prize challenge in search of a new, innovative retention system that would provide greater stability, adjustability and comfort.
"It is an honor to have won the USMC/PM ICE Retention System challenge," said Jose Rizo-Patron, CEO of Team Wendy. "Team Wendy helmet systems are designed to support mission driven requirements in a way that optimizes load balance, stability and comfort for more effective use of helmet mounted technology and accessories. The retention system plays a critical role in the overall system. For well over a decade, Team Wendy has worked with end-user communities to design retention systems that are now fielded by elite military and law enforcement communities worldwide. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to share our expertise with the Marine Corps."
Entries had to meet a long list of criteria, including seamless compatibility with the suspension pads in the ECH; as the manufacturer of the standard-issue Zorbium® Action Pad (ZAP™) 7-Pad NSN System, Team Wendy was well-positioned.
All retention systems submitted for the competition underwent a hands-on user evaluation, wherein Marines wore the retentions in the field and were surveyed about each system's stability, comfort and adjustability. The data from this user evaluation was the primary factor in the award selection.
According to the Marine Corps, prize challenges allow federal agencies to crowdsource ideas and help solve problems in various areas of expertise. Since 2010, the federal government has run more than 1,000 challenges and awarded more than $250 million in prizes to everyone from students and hobbyists to small business owners and academic researchers for their ideas, according to challenge.gov.
The CAM FIT features Cam Lock sliders that provide one-handed adjustment and secure fit, while the BOA® Fit System stabilizes the weight of the helmet by distributing a light, even pressure around the head. The system submitted for this challenge included the new BOA L6 dial and modified hardware for the ECH. The adjustment straps and chin-cup are designed for a close, comfortable fit to the wearer's face, and the asymmetric design keeps the buckle tucked smoothly along the jaw line, allowing operators to cheek their weapon without interference.
ABOUT TEAM WENDY®
Cleveland-based Team Wendy's mission is to research, design, develop and deliver the most innovative, purpose-built and impact-mitigating products and technologies on the market. It places a strong focus on research, particularly the causes and prevention of TBI. Founded in 1997 in honor of Wendy Moore, who died tragically from a TBI following a ski accident, Wendy's name lives on today in the protective products and gear used by hundreds of thousands worldwide, including the men and women of the United States Military. Learn more at www.TeamWendy.com.
CONTACT: Halle Nagel, hnagel@teamwendy.com, 216-738-2518 ext. 222
