Under a DARPA contract, the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) developed the Blast Gauge, a small device worn by warfighters to measure blast exposure and cue medics for initial response.
This phase of the project took just 11 months with a total development cost of approximately $1 million. As field tests began, and design refinement and larger production quantities were required, RIT researchers formed BlackBox Biometrics, a small business to commercialize and manufacture the Blast Gauges.
As of February 2013, more than 11,000 personnel deployed in combat wore DARPA-designed prototype Blast Gauges.
DARPA was using the data compiled from these devices to understand blast propagation, provide new insights into sources and causes of traumatic brain injury, and ultimately develop technologies that help minimize exposure and improve medical care.
