Date: Oct 03, 2013 Source: (
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Driving Technological Surprise: DARPA's Mission in a Changing World, published in April 2013, outlines the innovation of the Blast Gauge System. BlackBox Biometrics, Inc. (B3), the company behind the development, successfully commercialized the Blast Gauge System.
Now thousands of Service members are currently using the system in Afghanistan, providing unprecedented insight into the unseen threat of Blast-related Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). "Fielded to Warfighters: Blast Gauge. Under a DARPA contract, the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) developed the Blast Gauge, a small device worn by Warfighters to measure blast exposure and cue medics for initial response, in just 11 months and for a total development cost of approximately $1 million. As field tests began and design refinement and larger production quantities were required, RIT researchers formed BlackBox Biometrics, a small business to commercialize and manufacture the Blast Gauges. As of February 2013, more than 11,000 personnel deployed in combat are wearing [the] Blast Gauges. We are using the data compiled from these devices to understand blast propagation, potentially minimizing exposure in some situations. In addition, Blast Gauge data are giving us new insights into sources and causes of traumatic brain injury."
The Blast Gauge System records service member's exposure to blast overpressure, guiding triage and treatment as a result of these concussive forces. This Soldier worn device is highly accurate, inexpensive, and carries no legacy system logistics. The Blast Gauge System provides our service members instant access to information that may aid in the endeavor to prevent long term cognitive deficits as a result of blast exposure. It is available for sale to the Military, Law Enforcement, Training, and Research.
About BlackBox Biometrics, Inc. (B3):
BlackBox Biometrics (B3) delivers reliable, innovative systems that capture data associated with concussive encounters, and provide medical personnel with digital information to better understand the event, leading to faster and more accurate treatment. B3 currently supports deployment of this revolutionary technology for explosive blast detection enabling recognition of warfighter exposure and potential for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
