Magic Shields logo with the company name in black text at the bottom. Above the company name is pattern formed with three yellow feather-like shapes that connect at their tips to form a triangle.

CES 2025: Magic Shields Impact Absorbent Flooring

Allison interviews Doug McNeill from Magic Shields about their novel flooring which absorbs the impact of a fall to reduce injuries. The flooring can be applied to an entire facility (e.g., residential care) or used for specific areas within a room as locational mats.

Magic Shields is a layered floor covering. The bottom layer is composed of a special polymer shaped into small individual squares that collectively support your weight. On top of the polymer is the laminate floor surface, which is constructed to appear as wood. Alternatively, carpeting can be applied as the surface.

Walking on the surface feels like a normal floor without much give. However, upon impact the underlying polymer compresses and reduces the impact of the fall.

Magic Shields is proven to be effective. The surface was installed in over 600 hospitals throughout Japan, each reporting an average of 6 falls per year resulting in a break of a hip or leg. After the installations, the same hospitals report zero bone breaks due to falls.

In addition to reducing the risk of injury from falls, Magic Shields provides several other benefits, particularly for facilities. It is easy to install, it helps to maintain occupancy rate by reducing vacancy due to hospitalization, and it can help to reduce liability insurance costs.

Learn more a https://magic-shields.us

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Transcript of Interview:

Allison: We’re walking down the show floor here and a woman is running around throwing pieces of floor down on the ground and invited me to kneel on it. And I had to go over and talk to Doug McNeil and find out what are we looking at here, Doug?

Doug McNeil: Well, behind me is Hiroshi and he used to work for Yamaha Motocross Racing and he developed a special polymer that absorbs the shock in the motorcycle. Then he decided to take the same technology and put it underneath laminate and carpeted flooring and he’s installed that in over 600 hospitals throughout Japan, each hospital reporting an average of about five falls per year which resulted in a break of a hip or a leg. And now they’re all reporting zero incidences of broken hips and legs.

Allison: Over what time period? Five to six per day, per year, per week?

Doug McNeil: Five falls per year which result in the break of a hip or a leg. And then, it’s the back end of it.

Allison: So he’s picked up a piece of laminate that’s got these black X’s.

Doug McNeil: These square polymers support your weight. Collectively, they support your weight. But upon impact, it’s going to collapse. So when you’re walking on it, you feel like you’re walking on a normal floor. You can’t feel much difference at all. But if you were to fall on that floor, you definitely would feel that difference and you’re not going to break your hip or leg. I can take a clay pot and drop it on a normal floor. It’s going to break into a hundred pieces. I can take that same pot, drop it on this floor, it’s going to bounce right off.

Allison: Wow. I would think that would be better for fatigue too, standing. I mean, they make mats like that in front of the dishwasher.

Doug McNeil: Well, for a trade show, it’s perfect.

Allison: I’m just going to stand here the whole time.

Doug McNeil: That’s right. You can do a partial floor or you can do an entire floor. You can do an entire wing of a hospital or whatever you want to do.

Allison: Do you picture this in homes too?

Doug McNeil: In homes too. Yeah, absolutely. There’s a program for that.

Allison: Maybe retirement facilities. I don’t know. I fall down a lot. I’m thinking I’d be pretty good with this.

Doug McNeil: Yes, absolutely.

Allison: So if people wanted to learn more about, what did you say it is called?

Doug McNeil: Magic Shields.

Allison: Shinobi.

Doug McNeil: Or Shinobi Flooring. I think we’re rebranding our name right now. We’re mid-cycle.

Allison: So, Shinobi Floors, where would they go to find this?

Doug McNeil: Well, magicshields.co.jp.

Allison: All right. Very good.

Doug McNeil: Thank you.

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