Equipment Piece of the Week: Generation II Helmet Sensor (GEN II HS)

The Generation II Helmet Sensor (HS) and Data Retrieval System (DRS) is intended to serve Warfighters as a state of the art data collection system that can be used in both operational and training environments.

The HS-DRS measures, records and stores physical property measurements and characteristics related to the Soldier’s motion effects and responses associated with explosions, blasts and a wide range of shock and impact behavior.

The HS data will be analyzed in CONUS by the Medical Research and Materiel Command (MRMC) to support the development of an injury risk criterion and link sensor data with potential injury driven events.

There are two variants of the GEN II HS. Both variants are small, light weight, low power assemblies mounted and attached inside the Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) at the crown location using adhesive techniques. One HS weighs approximately 2.14 ounces and the other weighs about 1.78 ounces. Each is fitted inside of the helmet and, when installed, are both covered by the helmet circular crown pad. The helmet fits and feels the same to the Soldier, with or without the HS installed.

Each variant of the GEN II HS has its respective DRS associated with it. One DRS utilizes a hand held scanner and/or Computer Processing Unit (CPU) set-up with a wireless dongle. The hand held scanner and CPU are installed with a custom software utility database application tool to allow for data collection. USB cables are used to connect a hand held reader to the HS and CPU depending on the data collection technique being used. The other variant’s DRS utilizes an Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Identification wireless communication and router connected to a CPU controller to query HS in the immediate area to determine their event status and produces a summary report indicating which HSs have data that needs to be downloaded. Data downloading is accomplished by connecting the HS via USB port to a standalone computer which has HS software installed.

Learn more about the GEN II HS.