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Measurement of Hybrid III Head Impact Kinematics Using an Accelerometer and Gyroscope System in Ice Hockey Helmets

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Abstract

Helmet-based instrumentation is used to study the biomechanics of concussion. The most extensively used systems estimate rotational acceleration from linear acceleration, but new instrumentation measures rotational velocity using gyroscopes, potentially reducing error. This study compared kinematics from an accelerometer and gyroscope-containing system to reference measures. A Hybrid III (HIII) adult male anthropometric test device head and neck was fit with two helmet brands, each instrumented with gForce Tracker (GFT) sensor systems in four locations. Helmets were impacted at various speeds and directions. Regression relationships between GFT-measured and reference peak kinematics were quantified, and influence of impact direction, sensor location, and helmet brand was evaluated. The relationship between the sensor output and the reference acceleration/velocity experienced by the head was strong. Coefficients of determination for data stratified by individual impact directions ranged from 0.77 to 0.99 for peak linear acceleration and from 0.78 to 1.0 for peak rotational velocity. For the data from all impact directions combined, coefficients of determination ranged from 0.60 to 0.80 for peak resultant linear acceleration and 0.83 to 0.91 for peak resultant rotational velocity. As expected, raw peak resultant linear acceleration measures exhibited large percent differences from reference measures. Adjustment using regressions resulted in average absolute errors of 10–15% if regression adjustments were done by impact direction or 25–40% if regressions incorporating data from all impact directions were used. Average absolute percent differences in raw peak resultant rotational velocity were much lower, around 10–15%. It is important to define system accuracy for a particular helmet brand, sensor location, and impact direction in order to interpret real-world data.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship and Fundamental Research Supplement, the Center for Child Injury Prevention Studies, particularly the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Toyota Collaborative Safety Research Center, and the SAFER Vehicle and Traffic Safety Centre. The sensors were provided free of charge by GForceTracker Inc and there is no financial relationship between the authors, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and GForceTracker Inc. Dr. Arbogast serves as a consultant for the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) on head injury biomechanics topics unrelated to this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Center for Injury Research and Prevention, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 3535 Market St. Suite 1150, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA

    Mari A. Allison & Kristy B. Arbogast

  2. Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Mari A. Allison

  3. Injury Biomechanics Research Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

    Yun Seok Kang & John H. Bolte IV

  4. Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Matthew R. Maltese

  5. Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Matthew R. Maltese & Kristy B. Arbogast

Authors
  1. Mari A. Allison
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  2. Yun Seok Kang
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  3. Matthew R. Maltese
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  4. John H. Bolte IV
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  5. Kristy B. Arbogast
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Correspondence to Kristy B. Arbogast.

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Associate Editor Stefan M Duma oversaw the review of this article.

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Allison, M.A., Kang, Y.S., Maltese, M.R. et al. Measurement of Hybrid III Head Impact Kinematics Using an Accelerometer and Gyroscope System in Ice Hockey Helmets. Ann Biomed Eng 43, 1896–1906 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-014-1197-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-014-1197-z

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