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Protégo: Concussion Mouthguard Design and Demonstration(s)

Smart mouthguard with real-time impact detection for safer sports diagnostics.

 

Project Overview

Protégo is an early-stage innovation designed to enhance athlete safety and medical accuracy in sports. Designed during a high school technology course, this project focused on developing a smart mouthguard system that detects potential concussions in real-time using embedded sensors and microcontrollers.​

To create a cost-effective, wearable solution that prevents undiagnosed concussions by providing impact data directly to athletes, coaches, or physicians, helping reduce long-term brain injury risks.

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Process & Tools Used

  • Hardware Integration: Embedded a gyroscope and impact sensor inside the mouthguard to detect and log collision forces.

  • CAD Design: Used Autodesk Inventor to prototype and model multiple design iterations for comfort, fit, and sensor housing.

  • Programming: Programmed sensor behavior and data transmission using Arduino IDE and C++.

  • Prototyping & Testing: Built and tested functional models for proof-of-concept validation in simulated conditions.

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Results & Reflections

  • Successfully built a working prototype that captured real-time impact data.

  • The project demonstrated the feasibility of combining wearable tech with concussion detection methods.

  • Gained early experience in hardware-software integration, user-centered design, and engineering problem-solving.

  • Learned valuable lessons about design iterations, material limits, and sensor reliability that would shape future projects.

Skills Gained:

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  • Arduino

  • C++

  • Programming

  • Autodesk Inventor (CAD modeling)

  • Sensor Integration & Electronics User-Centered

  • Product Design Prototyping & Iterative Testing

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