Low Cost Head Impact Alert System for Helmeted Sports

描述（由申请人提供）：疾病控制中心（CDC）估计仅在美国每年轻度创伤性脑损伤（mTBI）的发病率约为120万例。大约三分之一的这些伤害发生在足球比赛中。美国国立卫生研究院第一阶段SBIR项目的主要目标是开发和验证HitAlert的传感和电子元件，HitAlert是一种低成本的头部撞击警报系统，用于监测mTBI的广泛使用。脑损伤很难“看”出来，尤其是在球场上。目前最先进的临床技术所缺乏的是对触发临床症状和表明运动员脑震荡的脑生理学变化的冲击或一系列冲击的识别。HitAlert提供了使能技术，允许所有玩水平的用户获得最高水平的护理。公共卫生相关性：疾病控制中心（CDC）估计，仅在美国，每年轻度创伤性脑损伤（mTBI）的发病率约为120万例。大约三分之一的这些伤害发生在足球比赛中。mTBI是玩家浪费时间的主要来源。在一项关于高中运动损伤的大型研究中，头部损伤占男孩足球损伤的13.3%，占男孩和女孩足球损伤的4.4%。每年大约有62,800例mTBI病例发生在高中校队运动员中，其中橄榄球运动员约占63%。曲棍球运动中有10%的运动员受到脑震荡的影响，占所有伤病的12%-14%。90人足球队每年发生4-6次脑震荡（7%），28人曲棍球队每年发生6次脑震荡（21%）。mTBI已被认为是一个重大的公共卫生问题，并非常重视适当的治疗和预防。美国国立卫生研究院和美国疾病控制与预防中心已经宣布，降低mTBI的发病率、严重程度和损伤后症状是国家研究的重点。脑震荡，尤其是反复发作时，会威胁运动员的长期健康。据估计，与体育运动中mTBI相关的医疗保健费用每年高达数亿美元。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates the yearly incidence of mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) at approximately 1.2 million cases in the United States alone. Approximately 1/3 of these injuries occur in football. The Principal Objective of this NIH Phase I SBIR project is to develop and validate the sensing and electronics components of HitAlert", a low cost head impact alert system for monitoring mTBI for widespread use. Brain injury is difficult to "see", particularly on the field. What is lacking from the current state-of-the-art clinical techniques is the identification of the impact or series of impacts that triggers the clinical symptoms and changes in brain physiology that are indicative of concussion in the athlete. HitAlert provides the enabling technology that allows users at all playing levels to receive the highest level of care. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates the yearly incidence of mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) at approximately 1.2 million cases in the United States alone. Approximately 1/3 of these injuries occur in football. mTBI is a major source of lost player time. Head injuries accounted for 13.3% of all football injuries to boys and 4.4% of all soccer injuries to both boys and girls in a large study of high school sports injuries. Approximately 62,800 mTBI cases occur annually among high school varsity athletes, with football accounting for about 63% of cases. Concussions in hockey affect 10% of the athletes and make up 12%-14% of all injuries. 4-6 concussions occur per year in a football team of 90 players (7%), and 6 per year from a hockey team with 28 players (21%). mTBI has been recognized as a major public health issue and much emphasis has been put on proper treatment and prevention. The NIH and CDC have declared that reducing the incidence, severity, and post-injury symptomology of mTBI is a national research priority. Concussions, particularly when repeated, threaten the long-term health of the athlete. The health care costs associated with mTBI in sports are estimated to be in the hundreds of millions annually.