360-Degree Wearable Blast Guage to Monitor Environmental and Occupational Impacts to Brain Health

This proposal addresses an important need for developing Wearable Sensors to Monitor Environmental and Occupational Impacts and ensure that proper protection equipment is used to avoid brain injuries.  Repeated mild Traumatic Brain Injuries (mTBI) can lead to dementia, cognitive decline, and brain volume loss. Repetitive mTBI may lead to Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), which is a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by repeated head trauma that is predominant later in life. By using accurate blast gauge sensors to quantify each soldier’s blast exposure, the military can inform protective measures, reduce the risk of irreversible brain damage, and track long-term health risks. Monitoring blast exposure is a practical step to ensure soldiers remain mission-ready and protected from mTBI-related health issues.To address this pressing need, Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI), in collaboration with Wayne State University (WSU) and Ensono Digital, plan to develop a 360-Degree Blast Gauge capable of capturing key information from a blast overpressure event. Current state of the art technology provides blast overpressure from a point source. PSI’s device, mounted on top of the soldier’s helmet, will provide a full 360-degree field of regard using five strategically placed blast sensors, and will include a suite of sensors to aid in blast scene reconstruction. The proposed PSI device will integrate triaxial accelerometer and pressure sensors to provide an orientation of the blast with respect to the soldier, as well as a triaxial magnetometer and GPS to map the soldier’s position, orientation, and timing within their environment.