I-Corps: Traumatic Brain Injury Detection and Reporting System

Arizona State University, Scottsdale AZ

Investigators

Abstract

The research team has developed a Reactive Mobile Head-impact Application (RMHA) to support the detection, assessment and monitoring of head impacts of sports players. This is a person-centered reporting tool that consists of impact detecting sensors that fit comfortable inside a football helmet coupled with computer software that automatically collects and stores impact data with the ability to send real-time alerts to medical personnel if a player suffers a severe head impact. The proposed innovation could make significant advancements in low-cost remote monitoring technologies and retrofitted sensor technologies. RMHA could facilitate long-term data collection that allows teams to compile a "lifetime" record of all notable head impacts that the player has received. The software will cross integrate with existing data collection methods and work with helmet safety standards organizations to ultimately create safer equipment. Overall, the RMHA can provide inputs for detecting and determining at-risk individuals. The proposed innovation can also be applicable to a variety of other domains where head impacts are common such as military use. The RMHA technology could have significant impacts for the general population, providing a technology to facilitate early monitoring and assessment of head impacts to detect and report injuries for young athletes in all sports during their careers. This technology can help players, coaches and medical personnel better understand the consequences of players' head impacts and could impact safety decisions in the future. The real-time monitoring aspect of this technology would enable a faster medical response when players suffer significant head injuries due to impact.