Design Requirements
The ultimate goal of the proposed device is to use a thermometry system that is integrated into current football equipment so that the subject can be observed for early indications of heat illness. The design must be able to take a temperature reading and relate it to the core body temperature of the subject while accounting for environmental factors. Should the calculated temperature increase beyond a set threshold, an alarm will warn the athlete that he or she needs to seek medical attention. This threshold will be adjustable, but a general value will be set at 38º C, which has been shown to be related to the onset of heat exhaustion. Any temperatures recorded at higher than 40.5º C indicate heatstroke, and the subject should be immediately taken to see a medical physician.[3]
Special considerations that must be made relate to the power lifetime of this system. The power supply needs to be able to run the device for a complete season. The National Football League (NFL) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) - Division I have the two longest football seasons at 26 and 23 weeks, respectively. These lengths represent weeks of team-run preseason, regular season, and postseason activities. NCAA rules do not allow athletes to practice for more than 20 hours per week[4]. Assuming that all players are in full equipment for all 20 hours, the device would need to operate for 460-520 hours. To prevent early failures, a 15% excess should be built in so the device can run for
about 600 hours. A significant factor in the consumption of energy is the frequency with which temperature readings are taken. Because of the extreme variation of the progressions of heat illness based on environmental and individual factors, a temperature should be taken every minute to ensure the subject is healthy enough to compete. Another design requirement would be the system’s ability to run an algorithm that relating the direct readings to the core temperature of the subject.
When integrating the system into current equipment, the system cannot compromise the protective qualities of the equipment. For oral temperature readings, the system would need to be integrated into the mouth guard of the athlete. Currently, testing standards do not exist for mouth guards, even though they are often required for athletes. Most athletic mouth guards require the mouth guard to be heated and then be bitten by the athlete to get a close fit. In this case, the system would either need to be able to work after this fitting process, or the athlete would need to have the mouth guard, complete with sensors, custom made after getting an impression of the athlete’s teeth.
The important design requirement is that the system is accurate enough to detect temperature to within 0.1º C. The system must fit inside current football equipment. The warning signal should be able to easily alert the subject that he or she needs to seek medical attention. The final product should be easy to use by subjects with limited knowledge of the product and should not be invasive. More specifically, the system should not create a risk of accidentally injuring the subject. Reliability and durability are important as well, since accidental alarms would be both disruptive to the game and annoying. The table above summarizes these requirements. At this point in time, the cost of the product is not a concern since a proof of concept is more important.
Special considerations that must be made relate to the power lifetime of this system. The power supply needs to be able to run the device for a complete season. The National Football League (NFL) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) - Division I have the two longest football seasons at 26 and 23 weeks, respectively. These lengths represent weeks of team-run preseason, regular season, and postseason activities. NCAA rules do not allow athletes to practice for more than 20 hours per week[4]. Assuming that all players are in full equipment for all 20 hours, the device would need to operate for 460-520 hours. To prevent early failures, a 15% excess should be built in so the device can run for
about 600 hours. A significant factor in the consumption of energy is the frequency with which temperature readings are taken. Because of the extreme variation of the progressions of heat illness based on environmental and individual factors, a temperature should be taken every minute to ensure the subject is healthy enough to compete. Another design requirement would be the system’s ability to run an algorithm that relating the direct readings to the core temperature of the subject.
When integrating the system into current equipment, the system cannot compromise the protective qualities of the equipment. For oral temperature readings, the system would need to be integrated into the mouth guard of the athlete. Currently, testing standards do not exist for mouth guards, even though they are often required for athletes. Most athletic mouth guards require the mouth guard to be heated and then be bitten by the athlete to get a close fit. In this case, the system would either need to be able to work after this fitting process, or the athlete would need to have the mouth guard, complete with sensors, custom made after getting an impression of the athlete’s teeth.
The important design requirement is that the system is accurate enough to detect temperature to within 0.1º C. The system must fit inside current football equipment. The warning signal should be able to easily alert the subject that he or she needs to seek medical attention. The final product should be easy to use by subjects with limited knowledge of the product and should not be invasive. More specifically, the system should not create a risk of accidentally injuring the subject. Reliability and durability are important as well, since accidental alarms would be both disruptive to the game and annoying. The table above summarizes these requirements. At this point in time, the cost of the product is not a concern since a proof of concept is more important.