Highly Integrated Kinematic Sensing System within Field-Deployable Helmets through A Flexible Hybrid Electronic Design
Abstract
Approved for public release - Traumatic brain injury is a serious concern for service members due to the prevalence of the injury modality in both training and active arenas. There has been tremendous progress in developing inertial measurement systems to quantitatively measure head kinematics in sport, but currently these methods rely on mouthguards, or other obtrusive mechanisms for obtaining high fidelity measurements. In this proposed work, we will design a novel, fully integrated system that consists of flexible hybrid electronic components within field deployable helmets. The flexible wiring system will enable a distribution of sensors coupled to a single compute element with data storage and communication capabilities. The project will consist of two primary aims. In the first aim, flexible electronics engineers at UW-Madison will work with industrial design engineers at Team Wendy to seamlessly integrate sensors into field-deployable helmets with a goal of maximizing conformalcontact of the sensing nodes to the head. Various embodiments will be designed and evaluated through both simulation and impact testing. The impact testing will consist of more traditionaldrop tests, but also include more novel fall test systems developed in-house at Team Wendy. The new novel tests will inform the sensors capabilities in more prevalent injury scenarios. In the second aim, the team will increase the functionality of the sensing system through the development of wireless communication firmware and the introduction of modular sensors. Pressure sensors will be introduced on the inside and outside of the helmet. The sensors on the inside will provide indicators related to helmet fit, while the sensors on the outside will provide directional data related to a potentially injurious event. Lastly, strain gages will be integrated with the flexible wiring to allow for direct measurements of head size, which can provide auxiliary data needed for computationalmodeling efforts. The aims support the ultimate objective of the proposal, which is to design, develop, and validate a high-fidelity kinematic sensing system that is fully integrated with field-deployable helmets.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 11, 2023
- Source ID
- N000142312766
Entities
People
- Joseph B Andrews
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Wisconsin System