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By On May 23rd, 2013

Teen Creates TBI Diagnostic Device For Automobiles

Source: Wikipedia Commons

Source: Wikipedia Commons

With the huge number of prestigious doctors and researchers working on traumatic brain injury diagnostic approaches and technology, it is kind of startling to hear one of the most interesting prototypes to appear was created by a 16 year old.

Justin Krell, a South Dakota teen, says he wants to do things that help people, according to Mashable, and with the in-vehicle system dubbed “HardHit”, Krell is definitely poised to help many, many people.

Krell showcased HardHit at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix, the world’s largest science fair where high school students from across the globe compete for $4 million in awards.

HardHit tracks head movement during a motor vehicle accident with an infrared proximity sensor, a microcontroller, and an accelerometer, and would be able to alert emergency responders with the data recorded. The system takes readings every one-and-a-half milliseconds and then compares the data with an algorithm.

HardHit can calculate the G-forces experienced during crashes and compare them with a baseline result for crashes which are likely to cause traumatic brain injuries. Currently, this data is stored as real-time data on a Micro-SD card which can then be analyzed by emergency crews and doctors, but Krell is working to make the machine able to text the message directly to the medical professionals.

Considering the majority of brain injuries don’t come from sports, it is good to see research and development being done on managing one of the biggest causes of TBI. A fast diagnosis is critical in treating brain injuries, and Krell’s design would be able to speed up the process significantly in the moments that matter most.

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