Sensors Help Measure Detect and Measure Harmful Blast Exposure

Pentagon officials revealed information during a recent traumatic brain injury (TBI) briefing—following the January Iranian missile strike on an air base in al-Asad—that the U.S. military will implement sensors to help detect and measure blast exposure impacts. This trial program will include a trio of blast sensors attached to the head, chest, and shoulders of troop body armor.

Business Insider reports that the move comes after more than 100 U.S. troops stationed at the base during the attack have since been diagnosed with TBI. Traumatic brain injuries can cause latent effects that often go undiagnosed for some time after a concussive event. The goal of attaching the trial blast sensors to warfighter body armor is to help evaluate how extensively an individual should be medically evaluated after blast exposure. Blast overpressure can be measured on any of the more than 4,400 troops from 58 different military units who have been equipped with the sensors during the program.