Skip to main content

To reduce concussions, Dartmouth now uses robotic tackle dummies during football practice

As the NFL tries (and constantly fails) to navigate around the growing problem of player concussions, an Ivy League school in New Hampshire has come up with a way to actively combat this risk of injury instead of, you know, just looking the other way. Developed by Dartmouth’s Thayer School of Engineering, the university’s football team now takes to its practice field each week with a band of mobile robotic dummies dubbed the MVPs, or “Mobile Virtual Player.” The point of these dummies? Provide the players with something they can tackle — over and over again, no less — without running the risk of injuring one another. Score one for the Ivy Leaguers!

To Dartmouth’s credit, the football team hasn’t practiced using player-on-player tackling drills for five seasons. Head football coach Buddy Teevens implemented the new rule a few years ago in an effort to decrease the number of concussive injuries his team endured during practice alone. Though the team resorted to using stationary dummies, bags, and sleds in the seasons since then, the introduction of the MVPs gives the team a revolutionary way to practice with moving targets while still avoiding hitting each other.

Jim Cole / Associated Press

“It was not received well to be honest with you,” Teevens tells NPR of his no-tackling rule, “[tackling] is sort of fundamental, but I was committed to it.”

Recommended Videos

Although Teevens’ rare approach led to a decrease in the team’s missed tackles in games, the coach still grew frustrated with the fact his players had no good way to simulate a moving opponent. Because of this, Dartmouth students Elliot Kastner and Quinn Connell decided to devote their senior capstone projects to developing the MVP. With the backing help of Dartmouth’s athletic department, Kastner and Connell were able to successfully manufacture the two robotic dummies which were revealed last week.

“I was fortunate enough to never have a concussion,” says Kastner, a former five-year Dartmouth defensive lineman, “but players on my team missed weeks after sustaining a blow to the head. And those injuries can affect you for the rest of your life.”

During practices, Dartmouth coaches control the MVPs remotely, which allows them to accurately simulate nearly every possible position on a football field (save for the quarterback). Teevens adds that although the robots can’t throw a football, his staff still has the ability to let defensive players practice pursuing a scrambling quarterback or to track it down in the backfield. Since quarterbacks never get tackled in practice at literally any level, this provides Dartmouth with an unprecedented opportunity to prepare for an opponent.

Considering its incredible value to the well-being of football players the world over, as well as the fact these dummies cost just $3,500 to make, it’s no surprise researchers are currently devising a way to market these bots to high schools, colleges, youth football programs, and the professional ranks. As a business plan begins to take shape, Kastner and Connell also remain committed to making the robots easier to control and to program them to make more realistic movements on the field.

We think it’s safe to say this is one of the few jobs where people might actually welcome a robot taking their place.

Rick Stella
Former Associate Editor, Outdoor
Rick became enamored with technology the moment his parents got him an original NES for Christmas in 1991. And as they say…
The Ioniq 5 is once again eligible for the $7,500 tax credit
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5

After a brief and confusing absence, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is once again eligible for the full $7,500 federal tax credit — and this time, it's sticking around (at least for now). So, what happened? Let’s unpack the ride.

The Ioniq 5, a sleek and tech-savvy electric crossover, initially made headlines not just for its design, but for being built at Hyundai’s brand-new Metaplant in Georgia. That domestic assembly qualified it for the EV tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which requires vehicles to be made in North America with batteries sourced from trade-friendly countries. But early in 2025, the Ioniq 5 vanished from the list. Why? Likely due to its battery packs, which were then still being sourced from SK On’s Hungarian facility.

Read more
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more