Now, the way that we're approaching this problem to try to understand the mechanisms of concussion
当下,我们通过这样一个设备研究这一问题,从而试图理解脑震荡产生机制,
and to figure out if we can prevent it is we are using a device like this. It's a mouthguard.
并确定我们是否可以防治脑震荡,我们所采用的是这样一个设备。它是个牙套。
It has sensors in it that are essentially the same that are in your cell phone: accelerometers, gyroscopes,
它里面包含了和手机内置传感器类似的加速计和陀螺仪,
and when someone is struck in the head, it can tell you how their head moved at a thousand samples per second.
当一个人被击中头部时,它可以以每秒钟一千次的速度记录下头部的移动方式,
The principle behind the mouthguard is this: it fits onto your teeth.
这个牙套的原理在于它固定在牙齿上。
Your teeth are one of the hardest substances in your body.
而牙齿是人体内最坚硬的物质之一。
So it rigidly couples to your skull and gives you the most precise possible measurement of how the skull moves.
所以相当于它直接连接在颅骨上,从而可以最为精确地测算出颅骨的运动模式。
People have tried other approaches, with helmets.
研究者们也曾试验过其他方法,比如头盔。
We've looked at other sensors that go on your skin, and they all simply move around too much,
我们也曾实验过将传感器贴在皮肤上,但是它们移动得太多了,
and so we found that this is the only reliable way to take a good measurement.
所以我们发现这是可以得到精确测算的唯一可信方式。
So now that we've got this device, we can go beyond studying cadavers,
现如今我们有了这一设备,就可以不仅限于研究尸体了,
because you can only learn so much about concussion from studying a cadaver, and we want to learn and study live humans.
因为在尸体身上对脑震荡的研究已经近乎到达极限,我们想要进行活体实验。
So where can we find a group of willing volunteers to go out
在哪里才可以找到一组愿意经常出去
and smash their heads into each other on a regular basis and sustain concussion?
把头乱撞,从而患上脑震荡的志愿者呢?
Well, I was one of them, and it's your local friendly Stanford football team.
嗯,我就是其中一员,他们是你们友好的斯坦福橄榄球队。
So this is our laboratory, and I want to show you the first concussion we measured with this device.
所以这就是我们的实验室,我将向各位展示,我们通过这一设备测量到的第一例脑震荡。
One of the things that I should point out is the device has this gyroscope in it,
我需要指出一点:该设备中含有陀螺仪,
and that allows you to measure the rotation of the head.
它可以测出头部的旋转。
Most experts think that that's the critical factor that might start to tell us what is happening in concussion.
而绝大多数专家认为,头部的旋转或许是解释脑震荡成因的关键因素。
So please watch this video.
请看这段视频。