How Isaac® Works

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Isaac® absorbes the shock of the head moving forward during a crash. Without it, this shock is absorbed by the upper neck and the base of the skull. It works by generating a force which is opposite the crash force. It's not exactly "an equal and opposite reaction," but pretty close.

BIOMECHANICS:
Half the racing deaths in North America are caused by head and neck injuries, which happen when the body stops but the head keeps moving. Basilar skull fracture occurs at a load of 900 pounds (4.0kN) and happens very fast: in about 30ms, or 3/100ths of a second. This is the same injury caused by a hangman's noose.

In a severe racing crash that generates a 45G impact, the load on the head is approximately 1,800 pounds (8.0kN), about twice the fatal limit. In crash tests Isaac® reduced these loads nearly 90%, to 200 pounds (900N).

THE BASIC MECHANICS:
The secret to Isaac® is the shock absorber, sometimes called a damper or dashpot. Shocks are easy to move if you move them slowly, but become almost rigid at high velocities. This means that a driver using Isaac® can move their head with little resistance, but in a high G crash the shocks become very stiff, slowing the head velocity and reducing the force on the head.

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