System and method for measuring the linear and rotational acceleration of a body part

A method for determining the magnitude and direction of impact to a body part having a geometric shape, comprising the steps of:

• positioning a plurality of accelerometers proximate to the outer surface of a body part;
• orienting the plurality of accelerometers to sense respective linear acceleration in respective directions which are each orthogonal to the outer surface of the body part and not orthogonal to each other;
• positioning the plurality of accelerometers in a defined arrangement about the surface of the body part;
• recording acceleration data sensed by the plurality of accelerometers in the directions which are each orthogonal to the outer surface of the body part and not orthogonal to each other;
• providing a hit profile function from the geometric shape of the body part and the positioning of the plurality of accelerometers thereabout to respectively sense acceleration in directions which are each orthogonal to the outer surface of the body part and not orthogonal to each other;
• generating a plurality of potential hit results from the hit profile function;
• comparing the plurality of potential hit results to the acceleration data sensed by the plurality of accelerometers;
• best fit matching one of the potential hit results to the acceleration data to determine a best fit hit result;
• and
• determining the magnitude of linear acceleration, in each of the directions which are orthogonal to the outer surface of the body part and not orthogonal to each other, and the direction of an impact to the body part from the best fit hit result.

A method of acceleration monitoring, comprising the steps of:

• attaching an acceleration-monitoring technology device, having acceleration sensors, to an individual such that the acceleration sensors remain fixed relative to a body part of the individual during physical activity where the body part has an outer surface;
• measuring accelerations of the body part of the individual during physical activity along at least a first, a second and a third acceleration measurement direction, wherein the first acceleration measurement direction is orthogonal to the outer surface of the body part, and the second acceleration measurement direction is orthogonal to the outer surface of the body part, and the third acceleration measurement direction is orthogonal to the outer surface of the body part;
• the first acceleration measurement direction, the second acceleration measurement direction and the third acceleration measurement direction not being orthogonal to each other;
• storing the accelerations of the body part of the individual in each of the first, second and third acceleration measurement directions which are each orthogonal to the outer surface of the body part and not orthogonal to each other, during the physical activity as acceleration data in a mass storage device;
• retrieving the acceleration data of the body part of the individual during physical activity;
• determining a direction and magnitude of the impact to the body part of the individual during the physical activity and the rotational acceleration of the body part of the individual during the physical activity from the acceleration data.

A method for determining the magnitude and direction of impact to a body part having a geometric shape, comprising the steps of:

• positioning a plurality of accelerometers proximate to the outer surface of a body part;
• orienting the plurality of accelerometers to sense respective linear acceleration in respective directions which are not orthogonal to each other;
• positioning the plurality of accelerometers in a defined arrangement about the surface of the body part;
• recording acceleration data sensed by the plurality of accelerometers in the directions which are not orthogonal to each other;
• providing a hit profile function from the geometric shape of the body part and the positioning of the plurality of accelerometers thereabout to respectively sense acceleration in directions which are not orthogonal to each other;
• generating a plurality of potential hit results from the hit profile function;
• comparing the plurality of potential hit results to the acceleration data sensed by the plurality of accelerometers;
• best fit matching one of the potential hit results to the acceleration data to determine a best fit hit result;
• and
• determining the magnitude of linear acceleration, in each of the directions which are not orthogonal to each other, and the direction of an impact to the body part from the best fit hit result.

A method of acceleration monitoring, comprising the steps of:

• attaching an acceleration-monitoring technology device, having acceleration sensors, to an individual such that the acceleration sensors remain fixed relative to a body part of the individual during physical activity where the body part has an outer surface;
• measuring accelerations of the body part of the individual during physical activity along at least a first, a second and a third acceleration measurement direction, wherein the first acceleration measurement direction, the second acceleration measurement direction and the third acceleration measurement direction are not orthogonal to each other;
• storing the accelerations of the body part of the individual in each of the first, second and third acceleration measurement directions which are not orthogonal to each other, during the physical activity as acceleration data in a mass storage device;
• retrieving the acceleration data of the body part of the individual during physical activity;
• determining a direction and magnitude of the impact to the body part of the individual during the physical activity and the rotational acceleration of the body part of the individual during the physical activity from the acceleration data.