Detection and characterization of head impacts

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for determining an acceleration at a location of interest within one of a user's head and neck. At least one of linear acceleration data, angular acceleration data, angular velocity data, and orientation data is produced using at least one sensing device substantially rigidly attached to an ambient-accessible surface of the user's head. The location of interest is represented relative to a position of the at least one sensing device as a time-varying function. An acceleration at the location of interest is calculated as a function of the data produced at the sensing device and the time-varying function representing the location of interest. The calculated acceleration at the location of interest is provided to at least one of the user and an observer in a human-perceptible form.

1 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A head impact monitor system, comprising:
 a mouthpiece configured for placement in a mouth of a user;   a sensor arranged on the mouthpiece, defining a sensor location, and configured to generate sensor data responsive to an impact and including a first acceleration; and   a data transform component comprising computer-implemented instructions stored thereon and operable by a processor to:
 receive the sensor data from the sensor; 
 calculate a second acceleration at a location of interest within the user's head based on the first acceleration and a relative position of the sensor location and the location of interest; and 
 store the second acceleration. 
   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the mouthpiece is one of a mouth guard and a lip guard worn by the user. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the mouthpiece comprises multiple layers of material and the sensor is arranged in one of the multiple layers in an elongate pattern. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the data transform component is arranged at a remote location from the mouthpiece. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the data transform component is arranged on the mouthpiece. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the data transform component is configured to provide the second acceleration to an observer in human perceptible form. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the data transform component is configured to identify the second acceleration as being above a threshold. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the mouthpiece is configured to provide an auditory, visual, and/or tactile stimulus to the user when the second acceleration is above the threshold. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the system is configured to provide an auditory, visual, and/or tactile stimulus to an observer when the second acceleration is above the threshold. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the data transform component is configured to calculate a force from the second acceleration. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the data transform component is configured to calculate a cumulative force over time. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the data transform component is configured to identify the cumulative force over time as being above an accumulation threshold. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the mouthpiece is configured to provide an auditory, visual, and/or tactile stimulus to the user when the cumulative force over time is above the accumulation threshold. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the system is configured to provide an auditory, visual, and/or tactile stimulus to an observer when the cumulative force over time is above the accumulation threshold. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the data transform component is arranged at a remote location from the mouthpiece. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the data transform component is arranged on the mouthpiece. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the data transform component is configured to calculate a cumulative acceleration over time. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the data transform component is configured to identify the cumulative acceleration over time as being above an accumulation threshold. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 45 , wherein the mouthpiece is configured to provide an auditory, visual, and/or tactile stimulus to the user when the cumulative acceleration over time is above the accumulation threshold. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 45 , wherein the system is configured to provide an auditory, visual, and/or tactile stimulus to an observer when the cumulative acceleration over time is above the accumulation threshold.