Radar detects concussions in athletes and soldiers

Now here is new technology that might just make it easier for medical personnel to detect concussions in both athletes and soldiers, thanks to the use of a simple radar system which is capable of quickly screen individuals who may have suffered brain injuries after a knock or fall.

Researchers over at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) are able to know whether a person is impaired or perhaps suffer from a concussion simply by asking the individual to walk a short distance while saying out loud the months of the year in reverse order. 

This is a simple enough test that can be performed on the sideline of a sporting event or on a battlefield, where it will offer the potential to help coaches and commanders decide whether athletes and soldiers are ready to engage in any activity again.

The radar in use would be a 10.5 gigahertz continuous wave radar, which isn’t too different from a police officer’s radar gun which measures the speed of a car. All collected data will let researchers know of the velocity of everything that’s in the field of view of the radar at that time, ranging from a person’s foot kicks to head and torso movements.

Needless to say, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) will need to approve of this system before it can be used to diagnose concussions. [Press Release]

Edwin Kee
Categories: Gadgets, Medical, Top Stories
Tags: radar