Remote Monitoring of Forces on Head for Detection of Traumatic Brain Injuries on Amusement Park Rides

Abstract

The ASTM F24 Committee pays substantial attention to the potential safety risks that roller coasters pose to riders. Although the G-forces exerted on rides are strictly controlled to prevent traumatic brain injury and other conditions, operators may wish to monitor the impact forces guests experience to determine if they need to be removed from the ride. We have designed a system to monitor data and relay the findings to the operators. To measure the effect roller coasters have on the brains of guests, we used a combination of gyroscopes, accelerometers, and impact force sensors are incorporated into a headpiece worn by the guest. During the ride, the sensor data is wirelessly transmitted to a base station where it can be monitored in real time by an operator. The system compares the gathered data with limits based on pre-existing research on traumatic brain injuries, and then alerts the operator to potential issues.