brain injury
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US soldiers to wear blast sensors in Afghanistan, collect shock data
Starting next month, around one thousand frontline personnel in Afghanistan will begin testing the Soldier Body Unit, a sensor kit for recording the effects of explosions on the human body. While that's not the most pleasant of subjects, the blast sensors have been rushed out to collect as much data as possible before soldiers head home in 2014. The US Army's Rapid Equipping Force and the Georgia Tech Research Institute, which developed the sensors, hope to gather info on concussions and traumatic brain injuries to improve aftercare. This will also be used at source to stop super-soldiers heading back out after a concussion and increasing the probability of an even worse injury. Further sensors will be carried on military vehicles, to help measure the effects of IED blasts on passengers. Adding two pounds in extra equipment probably won't make the Soldier Body Unit too popular, but it's thought the kit could weigh in at half a pound once it's been refined.
Injectable brain gel may save soldiers' lives, zombify them, or both
When they start selling brain fertilizer, you'll know you're living in the crazy century. Didn't Nostradamus predict that? The ongoing Military Health Research Forum is discussing the use of an injectable hydrogel for the treatment of traumatic brain injury, which -- unlike our ability to do push-ups -- is no joke. The fertilizer part comes from the gel's ability to stimulate the growth of neural stem cells within the brain, which are then capable of repairing damaged nerves and preventing the spread of harm to other cells. "Brain tissue regeneration" might not be the wisest name for it, but tests on rats have shown sustained functional recovery, and we understand that with enough Igors on the job, this could be put into use within the next three years.[Via Digg]
