This New AI Tool Detects Brain Injuries. Here’s Why It Matters.

A powerful new artificial intelligence tool capable of detecting brain injuries in ways traditional imaging cannot may very well transform the way we approach helmet design.
 
Researchers from the University of Cambridge and Imperial College of London tested the new tool on hundreds of CT scans that successfully found, quantified and differentiated all sorts of brain lesions. Their findings, published earlier this year, obviously stand to benefit victims of head trauma but could also change prevention methods on the front end.
 
As a provider of exceptional head protection systems for military, law enforcement, search and rescue, and adventure sports, our job is to keep your head safe. This new tool is intriguing because it could have implications for concussion prevention technology. It could help us better understand what we’re protecting against. If we can leverage large amounts of data to create complete profiles of cases involving injury then we can tailor protection accordingly. For instance, if data shows that a certain type of injury is particularly severe, perhaps to a certain location or region of the brain, then we can conduct impact tests in the lab to assess how different helmet designs perform against those scenarios. We’ll know we’ve set a new bar for protection when results show helmets lessen the forces on the brain itself during these impacts.
 
Imagine if we could compare trends in cases documenting severe injury versus day-to-day impacts. Or the types of impacts that most frequently occur for a given use. For example, during close quarters combat vs use by a helicopter crew. It would be a fascinating implementation of technology because it could help us better predict injuries.
 


Perhaps we can answer questions about the speeds projectiles travel before striking the helmet? Or how the brain reacts to impacts in certain places? It would be great to find out about unique dangers one group faces versus another group and hone future products to address their needs.
 
These are long-term goals, but new possibilities in helmet protection excite us. We’re determined to develop better helmets for brain injury and we’ll follow emerging data in order to reach new heights.
 
The tool recently developed requires copious amounts of data. Programmers teach it how to recognize patterns. If it’s skillfully programed, it’s recognition skills will be much faster and far more thorough than what is presently available.
 
You’ve probably heard about driverless cars – it’s AI behind the wheel. Train it on enough data and you can teach the system to distinguish between an open lane and a wall. With enough directed training it can learn to adapt to things like school busses, ambulances and crosswalks.
 
Applicable data is a good thing. That’s particularly true in the defense industry. The military seeks to utilize AI for everything from recruiting to autonomous weapons systems.
 
When it comes to the future of head protection, AI could address questions we’ve longed to answer in addition to unearthing insights previously considered indecipherable. We’ll utilize anything that can better protect you.
 
Consider that a no brainer.
 
By Ron Szalkowski
Director of Product Development and Research Collaboration