The creative minds at the Royal College of Arts have designed The Bruise, a new smart injury detection suit that helps treat injuries quickly and efficiently for disabled athletes. What is amazing about the Bruise is that it is designed to change colors on impact using a recyclable pressure sensitive film to indicate the severity of an injury.
Emma Hutchings of psfk.com writes that the idea of the suit first came from an interview with Paralympic sit-skier Talan Skeels-Piggins, and his struggle to detect and assess severity of injuries attained from the amount of crashes he had.
With that in mind, the designers went to work in developing a product that could help detect undiagnosed injuries in athletes with reduced sensitivity in parts of their bodies. Serious testing of over 30 materials and structures, such as silicone coated capsules and multi-layered ink papers, began before settling with the cost efficient pressure sensitive film used mainly in machinery.
The suit itself is made out of sweat-wicking stretch fabric, with mesh inserts and seams designed for freedom of movement and breathability. The suit is also covered with disposable made-to-fit film on high risk areas that will change color if stressed during an accident, giving the user an immediate idea of the severity of their impact and whether it could lead to a more serious injury.
With a suit like this, athletes with loss of sensation can see injuries when they happen and not prolong treatment if it is needed.