Meet SoftShox.
The world’s first wearable hydraulic shock absorber.
SoftShox is a patented liquid hydraulic device that adapts in real-time to impacts, dispersing forces away from the body. Backed by over a decade of research, this cutting edge technology is redefining the future of safety.
SoftShox uses the same energy absorbing physics as hydraulic systems used in the aerospace and automotive industries, but translated to a soft and wearable form.
Hydraulic system from automobile
It’s all about the ABC’s of Impact Protection
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Impacts are not just head-on. Instead, they come from every any angle and when they do not pass exactly through the center of mass, they cause a mix of linear and rotational forces. Industrial foams and even some ingredients are point solutions, absorbing only one these forces. SoftShox adapts to the Angle so no matter how you are hit, SoftShox works.
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Impacts are not only skull fracturing. Instead, they come in all sizes - big, little and everything in between. Plus, kids often don’t move as fast as adults. Industrial foams are tuned to a single impact velocity, offering less protection outside a narrow range. SoftShox hydraulics are velocity adaptive, matter how you are hit, SoftShox works.
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Impacts don’t only happen in perfect weather, because we work, play, live in all conditions. Industrial foams and a lot of other ingredients are temperature sensitive, changing how they protect in hot and cold. SoftShox hydraulics are temperature stable so no matter the temperature, SoftShox works.
TRADITIONAL PROTECTION
âś• Passes lab tests but may not protect you
âś• Material - static and limited
âś• Temperature-sensitive & inconsistent
âś• Optimized for high-velocity impacts only
âś• Built assuming you can predict the impact
âś• Designed for specific test conditions
ADAPTIVE PROTECTION · SOFTSHOX
âś“ Built for humans in the real world
âś“ Device - Hydraulic Device Engineered to Respond
âś“ Stable across all environments & conditions
âś“ Performs across wide range of speeds and angles
✓ Ready for what you can’t predict
âś“ Designed for real-world variability
Researchers recognized brain injuries were occurring at a range of impact conditions, not just the few that helmet standards test. Harnessing the adaptivity superpower of hydraulics, they created simulation models of helmets and authored multiple papers to demonstrate the potential for this new technology to prevent brain injuries.
Invented in Stanford, California
SoftShox, the company, was founded to turn science into reality. With the help of multiple NIH grants and friends, family, and angel investors, SoftShox conducted extensive R&D to ready the technology for commercial use - powerful, cost-effective, and manufacturable.
Industrialized at SoftShox
SoftShox goes where you go.
Performance without Compromise.
SoftShox fits into existing products
SoftShox replaces foams and other materials, integrating seamlessly into existing products to make them safer for users. This way, users can still purchase products from the brands they love, with all the same functions and features, except with the energy absorbing superpower of hydraulics
SoftShox unlocks new categories
SoftShox’s A-B-C adaptive impact capabilities in a tiny package enables users to be performant and protected like never before. Working in our in-house lab, our engineers love bringing to life entirely new product categories.
Featured SoftShox products
Guardian FLEX SoftShox Chinstrap
First football safety chinstrap, reducing HARM by up to 35%. Launched in the NFL in 2025, available for everyone today
