SBIR-STTR Award

This project develops a wearable high-durability film sensor system with a distributed sensing capability for directly measurement and 3D mapping of ballistic, blast, and blunt impact pressure on soldiers? heads and bodies. Such sensors are also needed for ballistic and blast testing of soldier protective equipment. The proposal team was the first to develop the film pressure sensor technology for the measurement of such extreme impact events. Based on their prior work, the team has identified key technical challenges and proposed novel approaches. The Phase-I effort will investigate the feasibility of these approaches through (1) a preliminary design of deformable, conformable and high-resolution pressure film sensor, together with their printing inks and (2) sensor performance evaluation through blunt, ballistic and blast testing. Upon a successful demonstration of the film sensor feasibility in terms of the measurement accuracy, time response, and durability, a prototype wearable sensor system will be developed and tested with soldier protective equipment in Phase II.

This project develops advanced, thin, deformable, conformable, durable, multi-sensing-point film sensors for measuring ultra high-intensity, high-speed impact pressure caused by ballistic, blast and blunt impact events. Such sensors will serve the urgent needs for (1) measuring ballistic impact pressure on clay when testing personnel protective equipment including body armor inserts and helmets, (2) collecting blast impact pressure distribution data for better understanding of traumatic brain injuries and body injuries, and (3) wearable sensors for measuring extreme impact pressure on soldiers for further improving their protective equipment. As the first to develop the film sensor technology for the measurement of such extreme impact events, the proposal team identified key technical challenges including the lack of sensing materials suited for measuring the extreme impact pressure and a dynamic calibration model for accurate calibration of the measured pressure. In Phase I, the team has successfully demonstrated the feasibilities of new sensing materials and models in measuring high impact pressure with fast time response and high measurement accuracy. Phase II will focus on the development of deformable and conformable multi-point film sensors and miniaturized multifunctional control units for applications in armor/helmet ballistic and blast tests.