Helmet system including at least three accelerometers and mass memory and method for recording in real-time orthogonal acceleration data of a head

An acceleration-monitoring device, comprising:

• a system unit disposed proximate to a body part of an individual at a first location, said system unit constructed and arranged to remain substantially fixed relative to said body part white said individual engages in physical activity, wherein said system unit includes
• a first accelerometer disposed along a first acceleration-monitoring direction, and
• a second accelerometer disposed along a second acceleration-monitoring direction,
• said first and second acceleration-monitoring directions being substantially orthogonal to each other;
• a third accelerometer disposed proximate to said body part of said individual at a second location displaced a distance from said first location, said third accelerometer constructed and arranged to remain substantially fixed relative to said body part while said individual engages in physical activity, said third accelerometer being disposed along a third acceleration-monitoring direction which is substantially orthogonal to a plane defined by said first and second acceleration-monitoring directions;
• and
• a power supply attached to said individual constructed and arranged to remain attached while said individual engages in physical activity, said power supply being electrically attached to said system unit and said third accelerometer to supply electrical power,
• wherein said acceleration-monitoring device is free from protruding wires and free from attachments which would tend to impede or alter physical activity of said individual,
• wherein said system unit includes
• a processor which is in communication with said first, second and third accelerometers, and
• a memory region including a random access memory in communication with said processor such that said processor can store and retrieve data from said memory region and can read computer program instructions from said memory region, and
• wherein said system unit includes one of a memory card or mass memory.

An acceleration-monitoring device, comprising:

• a system unit disposed proximate to a body part of an individual at a first location, said system unit constructed and arranged to remain substantially fixed relative to said body part while said individual engages in physical activity, wherein said system unit includes
• a first accelerometer disposed along a first acceleration-monitoring direction, and
• a second accelerometer disposed along a second acceleration-monitoring direction,
• said first and second acceleration-monitoring directions being substantially orthogonal to each other;
• a third accelerometer disposed proximate to said body part of said individual at a second location displaced a distance from said first location, said third accelerometer constructed and arranged to remain substantially fixed relative to said body part while said individual engages in physical activity, said third accelerometer being disposed along a third acceleration-monitoring direction which is substantially orthogonal to a plane defined by said first and second acceleration-monitoring directions;
• a fourth accelerometer disposed proximate to said body part of said individual at a third location displaced a distance from said first and second locations, said fourth accelerometer constructed and arranged to remain substantially fixed relative to said body part while said individual engages in physical activity, said fourth accelerometer being a rotational acceleration-type accelerometer disposed along a fourth acceleration-monitoring direction to detect rotational accelerations within a plane orthogonal to said fourth acceleration direction;
• a fifth accelerometer disposed proximate to said body part of said individual at a fourth location displaced a distance from said first and second locations, said fifth accelerometer constructed and arranged to remain substantially fixed relative to said body part while said individual engages in physical activity, said fifth accelerometer being a rotational acceleration-type accelerometer disposed along a fifth acceleration-monitoring direction which is substantially orthogonal to said fourth acceleration-monitoring direction to detect rotational accelerations within a plane orthogonal to said fifth acceleration direction;
• and
• a sixth accelerometer disposed proximate to said body part of said individual at a fifth location displaced a distance from said first, second and third locations, said sixth accelerometer constructed and arranged to remain substantially fixed relative to said body part while said individual engages in physical activity, said sixth accelerometer being a rotational acceleration-type accelerometer disposed along a sixth acceleration-monitoring direction which is substantially orthogonal to a plane defined by said fourth and fifth acceleration-monitoring directions to detect rotational accelerations within a plane orthogonal to said sixth acceleration direction,
• a power supply attached to said individual constructed and arranged to remain attached while said individual engages in physical activity, said power supply being electrically attached to said system unit and said third accelerometer to supply electrical power,
• wherein said acceleration-monitoring device is free from protruding wires and free from attachments which would tend to impede or alter physical activity of said individual,
• wherein said system unit includes
• a processor which is in communication with said first, second and third accelerometers, and
• a memory region including a random access memory in communication with said processor such that said processor can store and retrieve data from said memory region and can read computer program instructions from said memory region, and
• wherein said first, second and third accelerometers are linear accelerometers that detect accelerations along said first, second and third acceleration-monitoring directions, respectively.

A head acceleration-monitoring technology helmet comprising:

• a helmet that defines a pouch in a back portion of said helmet constructed and arranged to hold a system unit during data collection periods;
• an acceleration-monitoring technology device disposed substantially within said helmet such that said acceleration-monitoring device monitors accelerations of an individual's head during physical activity,
• wherein said acceleration-monitoring technology device includes
• a system unit disposed substantially within said pouch,
• said system unit including
• a first accelerometer disposed along a first acceleration-monitoring direction, and
• a second accelerometer disposed along a second acceleration-monitoring direction,
• said first and second acceleration-monitoring directions being substantially orthogonal to each other,
• a processor which is in communication with said first and second accelerometers, and
• a memory region including at least a random access memory in communication with said processor such that said processor can store and retrieve data from said memory region and can read computer program instructions from said memory region,
• a third accelerometer disposed proximate to an ear piece portion of said helmet, said third accelerometer being disposed along a third acceleration-monitoring direction which is substantially orthogonal to a plane defined by said first and second acceleration-monitoring directions and is disposed so that it is in communication with said processor, and
• a power supply attached to said individual, said power supply constructed and arranged to remain attached while said individual engages in physical activity, said power supply being electrically connected to said system unit and said third accelerometer to supply electrical power,
• wherein said head acceleration-monitoring technology helmet is free from protruding wires and free from attachments which would tend to impede or alter physical activity of said individual, and
• at least one of said accelerometers provides an output signal corresponding to a range of accelerations of said body part.

A head acceleration-monitoring technology helmet, comprising:

• a helmet that defines a pouch in a back portion of said helmet constructed and arranged to hold a system unit during data collection periods;
• an acceleration-monitoring technology device disposed substantially within said helmet such that said acceleration-monitoring device monitors accelerations of an individual's head during physical activity,
• wherein said acceleration-monitoring technology device includes
• a system unit disposed substantially within said pouch,
• said system unit including
• a first accelerometer disposed along a first acceleration-monitoring direction, and
• a second accelerometer disposed along a second acceleration-monitoring direction,
• said first and second acceleration-monitoring directions being substantially orthogonal to each other,
• a processor which is in communication with said first and second accelerometers, and
• a memory region including at least a random access memory in communication with said processor such that said processor can store and retrieve data from said memory region and can read computer program instructions from said memory region,
• a third accelerometer disposed proximate to an ear piece portion of sad helmet, said third accelerometer being disposed along a third acceleration-monitoring direction which is substantially orthogonal to a plane defined by said first and second acceleration-monitoring directions and is disposed so that it is in communication with said processor;
• and
• a power supply attached to said individual, said power supply constructed and arranged to remain attached while said individual engages in physical activity, said power supply being electrically connected to said system unit and said third accelerometer to supply electrical power,
• wherein said head acceleration-monitoring technology helmet is free from protruding wires and free from attachments which would tend to impede or alter physical activity of said individual,
• wherein said system unit includes a memory card interface adapted to receive a periodically swappable memory card,
• said acceleration-monitoring technology device includes a memory card swappably attached to said system unit, and
• said pouch is a resealable pouch constructed and arranged to hold said system unit and said memory card during data collection periods and to permit removal of said memory card between data collection periods so as to permit retrieval of data.

A real-time acceleration-monitoring method comprising:

• attaching an acceleration-monitoring technology device to an individual such that it remains substantially fixed relative to a body part of said individual during physical activity;
• measuring real-time accelerations of said body part of said individual during physical activity along at least a first, a second and a third acceleration measurement direction, wherein said first acceleration measurement direction is substantially orthogonal to said second acceleration measurement direction, and said third acceleration measurement direction is substantially orthogonal to a plane defined by said first and second measurement directions;
• storing said real-time accelerations of said body part of said individual during said physical activity in a mass storage device;
• and
• retrieving said real-time acceleration data of said body part of said individual during said physical activity,
• wherein said measuring real-time accelerations of said body part of said individual includes measuring a plurality of accelerations corresponding to a range of accelerations in at least one of said acceleration measurement directions.

A real-time acceleration-monitoring method comprising:

• attaching an acceleration-monitoring technology device to an individual such that it remains substantially fixed relative to a body part of said individual during physical activity;
• measuring real-time accelerations of said body part of said individual during physical activity along at least a first, a second and a third acceleration measurement direction, wherein said first acceleration measurement direction is substantially orthogonal to said second acceleration measurement direction and said third acceleration measurement direction is substantially orthogonal to a plane defined by said first and second measurement directions;
• storing said real-time accelerations of said body part of said individual during said physical activity in a mass storage device;
• retrieving said real-time acceleration data of said bode part of said individual during said physical activity;
• filming said individual during said storing real-time accelerations;
• and
• correlating data obtained from said retrieving said stored acceleration data with a film produced by said filming said individual during said storing said real-time accelerations.