The device, developed by researchers at KAUST, acts like a safety switch that activates in response to sudden acceleration, sensing forces from any direction and gauging their severity in real time. The work is published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Roughly the size of a small fingernail, the sensor can be attached to football helmets, ski goggles, industrial hard hats or children’s headbands. Drawing no power in its normal standby state, it switches on only when a shock closes the internal electrical circuit through mechanical contact between the movable and fixed structures. This means the sensor can operate for long periods without draining the battery or requiring routine upkeep.