Listen
A group of schoolboy rugby players in Gisborne are at the forefront of a study into concussion that could make its detection more speedy and accurate - and help patients better manage their recovery. 33 players from Gisborne High School's first and second fifteen rugby teams were wired up with high-tech mouthguards to monitor head impacts, with data gathered from 11 games and 30 training sessions. The study into concussion, also known as mild traumatic brain injury, is lead by Gisborne's Matai Medical Research Institute - but also has input from other groups. Lynn talks to Dr Vickie Shim at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute about how the data will be used in a simulation model she's working on and Dr Samantha Holdsworth, CEO and director of research at Mātai who explains why they hope to set up a gold standard - and objective - test for concussion.