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Philadelphia Personal Injury Attorney Blog | Pomerantz Perlberger & Lewis LLP
Philadelphia Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice Attorneys serving the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania areas. Pomerantz, Perlberger and Lewis have extensive experience with serious injuries as a result of someone else's negligence.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Army Helmets to Monitor Brain Injury
The United States Army is sending soldiers to Afghanistan with high-tech helmets to gather data on the effect of bomb blasts on their brains.
The Army's Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier has outfitted the helmets of soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division with sensors to gauge the violent shaking that occurs when improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, explode near them, said Brig. Gen. Mark Brown, who leads the office. "It's basically a computer chip in a helmet," Brown said.
So far, 1,145 soldiers have received helmet sensors, according to Debi Dawson, a spokeswoman for PEO Soldier, the office charged with developing and fielding equipment needed for combat. The soldiers are scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan in the spring.
The device is to be checked monthly and can record 527 events, ranging from being dropped to being blasted by a bomb. The sensor weighs 6 ounces, runs on a battery that can last six months and fits on the back of the helmet.
To better measure the causes and effects of traumatic brain injury, the Army is working to establish data on what happens to a soldier's head during an IED blast. The sensor will measure the violent pulse of air after an explosion. Energy from this wave courses through the body, damaging brain cells and other organs.
The helmet device also will measure acceleration, the jolt soldiers get from the explosion. The jolt is one of the primary causes of death from an IED because it can snap the neck. The data is to be downloaded to establish a database on the effects of blasts. Researchers expect to study the information and use it to develop safer helmets.
IEDs are the top cause of brain injuries for U.S. troops, account for almost 80% of all wounds, and are responsible for 60% of those killed.
Troops near IED explosions can suffer perforated eardrums, ringing in the ears, blurred vision and memory lapses.
Soldiers often return to combat after recovering from a concussion or a bruising of the brain. Research shows that such blasts can cause damage deep inside the brain, and the symptoms may remain hidden for years.
If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury in the Philadelphia area, please contact Pomerantz Perlberger & Lewis today to schedule your initial consultation.
The Army's Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier has outfitted the helmets of soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division with sensors to gauge the violent shaking that occurs when improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, explode near them, said Brig. Gen. Mark Brown, who leads the office. "It's basically a computer chip in a helmet," Brown said.
So far, 1,145 soldiers have received helmet sensors, according to Debi Dawson, a spokeswoman for PEO Soldier, the office charged with developing and fielding equipment needed for combat. The soldiers are scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan in the spring.
The device is to be checked monthly and can record 527 events, ranging from being dropped to being blasted by a bomb. The sensor weighs 6 ounces, runs on a battery that can last six months and fits on the back of the helmet.
To better measure the causes and effects of traumatic brain injury, the Army is working to establish data on what happens to a soldier's head during an IED blast. The sensor will measure the violent pulse of air after an explosion. Energy from this wave courses through the body, damaging brain cells and other organs.
The helmet device also will measure acceleration, the jolt soldiers get from the explosion. The jolt is one of the primary causes of death from an IED because it can snap the neck. The data is to be downloaded to establish a database on the effects of blasts. Researchers expect to study the information and use it to develop safer helmets.
IEDs are the top cause of brain injuries for U.S. troops, account for almost 80% of all wounds, and are responsible for 60% of those killed.
Troops near IED explosions can suffer perforated eardrums, ringing in the ears, blurred vision and memory lapses.
Soldiers often return to combat after recovering from a concussion or a bruising of the brain. Research shows that such blasts can cause damage deep inside the brain, and the symptoms may remain hidden for years.
If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury in the Philadelphia area, please contact Pomerantz Perlberger & Lewis today to schedule your initial consultation.
posted by Lynn at 9:31:00 AM
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