Smart Mouthguard: Bio-analytics for the development of a respiratory sensing device

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Injuries during sports participation are often caused by systemic failure due to physical exertion. Breathing parameters can be used to measure changes in perceived exertion allowing the athlete to monitor and check how they train or play the game. A smart mouthguard is being developed that incorporates a novel breathing technology to assess and track performance. It measures breathing, which can be analysed using model based analytics to estimate physical fatigue. The metrics will aid contact sport athletes in understanding their performance and assist in personalising their training regime without the requirement to wear any additional gear. It can also be used to make decisions regarding the potential injury risk athletes face during training or competition. This is particular relevant as more sport federations are making mouthguard use compulsory for all participants, while at the same time aiming to reduce overall injurie rates due to contact sport participation.As athletic participation continues to increase around the world, the need for mouthguards will continue to climb. It has been estimated that over 40 million mouthguards are sold annually in the US alone. This number is expected to grow proportional with the increase of contact sport athletes. There is a strong need within the contact sports community to show that these sports can be played safely, as contact sports include some of the fastest growing sports in the world.Accurate breathing analysis is required in order to provide good estimates of physical fatigue. The breathing signal is noisy and can vary widely between people. A computational model of the breathing signal reduces this noise and allows for better estimates of physical exertion. The University of Oxford with its expertise in bio-analytics will work together with Chiaro Ltd to develop a robust approach for tracking fatigue using a smart mouthguard. The project will consist of sharing knowledge on the best analytical modelling techniques and hardware designs to develop a user friendly smart mouthguard. The developed analytical model is tested using lab-based data and model modifications are made before applying it to field testing. The project shows how certain analytical techniques developed within other BBSRC's funded projects can successfully be translated to other industries.