element14 Community selects ‘Sudden Impact’ design challenge finalists

The element14 Community has named the 12 engineers from around the world who will take part in its “Sudden Impact” design competition, which is aimed at developing wearable health solutions that can detect and even prevent sports-related injuries. Finalists will have from now until March 20, 2015 to create their devices and claim the top prize.

“Congratulations to all of the finalists selected to take part in the Sudden Impact challenge,” said Dianne Kibbey, global head of community at element14. “We are eager to see these talented individuals bring their concepts to life and develop solutions that are smarter, more responsive, and have the potential to prevent serious injuries and save lives. element14 is proud to play a part in enabling these forward-thinking solutions and empowering the bright minds behind them.”

The 12 finalists, their proposed projects and their target sports include

Joshua Bayfield (U.K.)–Field Hockey–Wireless ECG heart rate monitor, forehead temperature sensor, leg injury and impact monitor, and accelerometer-based alert system for fallen players.
Ravi Butani (India Football, Biking, Racing and Skiing—Vital health parameter monitoring system to measure for head, chest, and spinal injury, ECG heart rate monitor; and body temperature sensors.
Shubham Garg (India)–Football and Skiing—Cardiac arrest, internal bleeding, and muscle fatigue monitors.
Austin Horning (U.S.)–High School Sports–Smartphone-connected system to measure blows to the head and track heart rates.
Kamrul Hussain (Bangladesh)–Soccer, Football, Cricket, and Basketball–Sensor system to track body temperature, head trauma, respiration, and strains to the calf muscles.
Cosmin Iorga (U.S.)–Tennis–Foot, arm, and head modules to track heart rate, body temperature, oxygen levels in the blood, respiratory rate, dehydration, and exhaustion
Dragan Knezevic (Serbia)–General Sports–Configurable helmet and uniform sensors to measure custom vitals.
Norbert Kovács (Hungary)–Biking–Smart clothes that log heart rate, body temperature, acceleration, speed, and profile of trip.
Kas Lewis (Canada) – General Sports – Helmet to monitor for heat stroke, heart attacks and concussions
Hendrik Lipka (Germany)–Soccer and Skiing–Heart rate monitor during training sessions and helmet-mounted impact monitor.
Robert Waters (U.S.)—General Sports—Heart rate monitor and respiratory belt transducer.
Douglas Wong (Canada)–Hockey–Stress and heart rate sensors and helmet-mounted trauma monitor.

Each competitor will receive a kit of components from Analog Devices, a Tektronix oscilloscope, advanced polymers from Electrolube, and a $500 budget from Newark element14 for additional parts and purchases. Each solution will be rigorously tested by the School of Computing and Creative Technologies at Leeds Beckett University based on effective use of the kit provided, simplicity and ease of use, durability and measurement capabilities.

Finalists will also be judged on content produced through the course of the challenge. Competitors will document their progress via blog posts, images and videos on a weekly basis at the element14 Community. The Grand Prize Winner will be announced by March 27, 2015, and will receive a Tektronix MDO3104 oscilloscope valued at $13,900, a 13-inch MacBook Air courtesy of Analog Devices, and a Withings Home. All finalists who complete the challenge will receive a Withings Pulse courtesy of Analog Devices.

For more information on the Sudden Impact challenge and to view the finalists’ blogs, visit http://www.element14.com/suddenimpact.