Have you ever watched a football game and wondered about the impressive concussive force the players endure? Well, so have many coaches and team physicians, which is why several college teams are joining forces with Simbex and their Head Impact Telemetry (HIT) System™
The HIT System™ is the first and only (commercially available) system that can measure head accelerations (impacts) in real-time during games and practices. The HIT System’s sensor/encoder, contains impact sensors, a processor and transmitter, and transforms any helmet or headgear into a head impact monitor.
A data collector receives impact data continuously from encoders that can be hundreds of meters away, and can monitor dozens of players or soldiers simultaneously. Our proprietary software analyzes those data and sends a pager warning if any impact has a potentially injurious profile.
The data collector stores all of the key signatures of the impacts: peak linear acceleration, rotational acceleration, duration, location, time stamp, etc, for future analysis.
After more than a decade of research (supported in part by the National Institutes of Health), the HIT System was put to the test in the crucible of elite college and high school football stadiums and practice fields. Using the HIT System™ we have recorded over one-quarter of a million impacts and corresponding head injury data.
Simbex and partner researchers are using the analysis of these data to shed new light on the biomechanical causes of mild traumatic brain injuries. This research may lead to advancements in protective equipment or other injury reduction strategies.
Head Impact Telemetry System™
PhysOrg: Virginia Tech Tackles Head Injuries Using Wireless…
(hat tip: Engadget)