This paper reports the development and the experimental verification of a new helmet based on the use of a redundant array of accelerometers (ACs) which enables the measurement of angular velocity, angular acceleration and translational component of the head during normal activity through an unconstrained workspace. Taking into account the outcome of a numerical simulation previously conducted, a lightweight foam bicycle helmet is equipped with ten biaxial, low-cost MEMS ACs. Validation tests were carried out by means of an instrumented pendulum, which allows the evaluation of the accuracy in the measurement of angular velocity, angular acceleration and component over a range of , , and . The effects induced by the sensor redundancy in the metrological performances of the helmet were also analyzed; in fact, by adopting an optimal selection criterion, some of the cemented ACs were ignored in the data processing, so that, in addition to the 20 axis configuration, also the clusters equipped by a total number of 18, 16, 14, or 12 sensing axes were analyzed and comparatively examined. The results clearly indicate that the redundancy reduces the effect of the noise level of the single transducers to the acceleration measurements; consequently the bandwidth of the device may be increased, because higher cutoff frequency can be chosen for the low pass filtering. The redundancy is also useful to reduce the angular velocity drift that is further decreased by adopting a drift compensation method. The results of the present experiments revealed that the presented helmet can be considered a viable tool in the measurement of head angular and translational acceleration for the assessment of equilibrium control capability. In case the evaluation of the angular velocity is required, time-limited routine clinical application (few seconds) must be performed due to the presence of relevant drift.
Skip Nav Destination
e-mail: paolo.cappa@uniroma1.it
Article navigation
March 2007
Research Papers
A Redundant Accelerometric Cluster for the Measurement of Translational and Angular Acceleration and Angular Velocity of the Head
Paolo Cappa,
Paolo Cappa
Professor
Department of Mechanics and Aeronautics,
e-mail: paolo.cappa@uniroma1.it
University of Rome “La Sapienza
,” Via Eudossiana, 18-00184 Rome, Italy and Paediatric Neuro-Rehabilitation Division, Children’s Hospital “Bambino Gesù” IRCCS
, Via Torre di Palidoro, 00050 Passoscuro (Fiumicino) Rome, Italy
Search for other works by this author on:
Fabrizio Patanè,
Fabrizio Patanè
Research Associate
Department of Mechanics and Aeronautics,
University of Rome “La Sapienza
,” Via Eudossiana, 18-00184 Rome, Italy and Paediatric Neuro-Rehabilitation Division, Children’s Hospital “Bambino Gesù” IRCCS
, Via Torre di Palidoro, 00050 Passoscuro (Fiumicino) Rome, Italy
Search for other works by this author on:
Stefano Rossi
Stefano Rossi
Student
Department of Mechanics and Aeronautics,
University of Rome “La Sapienza
,” Via Eudossiana, 18-00184 Rome, Italy and Paediatric Neuro-Rehabilitation Division, Children’s Hospital “Bambino Gesù” IRCCS
, Via Torre di Palidoro, 00050 Passoscuro (Fiumicino) Rome, Italy
Search for other works by this author on:
Paolo Cappa
Professor
Department of Mechanics and Aeronautics,
University of Rome “La Sapienza
,” Via Eudossiana, 18-00184 Rome, Italy and Paediatric Neuro-Rehabilitation Division, Children’s Hospital “Bambino Gesù” IRCCS
, Via Torre di Palidoro, 00050 Passoscuro (Fiumicino) Rome, Italye-mail: paolo.cappa@uniroma1.it
Fabrizio Patanè
Research Associate
Department of Mechanics and Aeronautics,
University of Rome “La Sapienza
,” Via Eudossiana, 18-00184 Rome, Italy and Paediatric Neuro-Rehabilitation Division, Children’s Hospital “Bambino Gesù” IRCCS
, Via Torre di Palidoro, 00050 Passoscuro (Fiumicino) Rome, Italy
Stefano Rossi
Student
Department of Mechanics and Aeronautics,
University of Rome “La Sapienza
,” Via Eudossiana, 18-00184 Rome, Italy and Paediatric Neuro-Rehabilitation Division, Children’s Hospital “Bambino Gesù” IRCCS
, Via Torre di Palidoro, 00050 Passoscuro (Fiumicino) Rome, ItalyJ. Med. Devices. Mar 2007, 1(1): 14-22 (9 pages)
Published Online: August 8, 2006
Article history
Received:
January 5, 2006
Revised:
August 8, 2006
Citation
Cappa, P., Patanè, F., and Rossi, S. (August 8, 2006). "A Redundant Accelerometric Cluster for the Measurement of Translational and Angular Acceleration and Angular Velocity of the Head." ASME. J. Med. Devices. March 2007; 1(1): 14–22. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2355685
Download citation file:
Get Email Alerts
Cited By
A Better Way to Visualize the Cervix: A Low-Cost Cervical Cancer Screening Device for LMIC Settings
J. Med. Devices (April 2025)
Comparative Survey-Based Study of Noninvasive Saliva Collection Devices
J. Med. Devices (April 2025)
Related Articles
Ambulatory Device for Urinary Incontinence Detection in Female Athletes
J. Med. Devices (June,2009)
Numerical Validation of Linear Accelerometer Systems for the
Measurement of Head Kinematics
J Biomech Eng (November,2005)
Linear and Angular Head Acceleration Measurements in Collegiate Football
J Biomech Eng (June,2009)
Total Strain Fields of the Antero-Inferior Shoulder Capsule Under Subluxation: A Stereoradiogrammetric Study
J Biomech Eng (October,2001)
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Chapters
Feedback-Aided Minimum Joint Motion
Robot Manipulator Redundancy Resolution
Pseudoinverse Method and Singularities Discussed
Robot Manipulator Redundancy Resolution
Manipulability-Maximizing SMP Scheme
Robot Manipulator Redundancy Resolution