UTA researchers investigating ‘smart’ helmets that could detect brain injuries Tuesday, Mar 09, 2021 • Herb Booth : Contact
A University of Texas at Arlington researcher is investigating the capabilities of “smart” protective helmets that could sense head and brain injuries and allow soldiers to more rapidly receive medical treatment. Ashfaq Adnan, a mechanical and aerospace engineering professor, has received a three-year, $1.1 million grant from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) to study “smart” protective equipment in a dynamic environment. Kamesh Subbarao, also a mechanical and aerospace engineering professor, is a co-principal investigator on the project. “Our research will focus on the interface between the helmet and the brain and how to use smart sensing to recognize brain trauma,” Adnan said. “If we are successful, the results generated from this study will pave the way for the development of smart helmets to better ensure the well-being of soldiers in combat. We are hoping not only to prevent brain injuries, but to be able to promptly detect situations in which a brain injury may have occurred.