A ground-breaking concussion study will give researchers a chance to get inside the heads of Otago rugby players.
The entire Otago rugby team will wear electronic devices, about the size of a $2 coin, behind their ear during their next five home games.
University of Otago research fellow Dr Danielle Salmon said the devices would measure the force put on players' heads during intense impacts, such as tackles and rucks, to assess whether neck strength influenced force put on the head.
Otago flanker Adam Knight said he had been concussed three times during his career, most recently on Sunday, when he was stretchered off four minutes into the first game of the season.
''Any studies that are going to help us players and give any knowledge about concussion are good.''
Knight will not play in tonight's game against Wellington at Forsyth Barr Stadium because of the concussion.
He joked it was a ''shame'' he did not have the measuring device on when he received the knock.
University of Otago School of Physical Education and Exercise Sciences research fellow Dr Salmon said research on the forces exerted on the heads of professional sportspeople had never been done in New Zealand.
A similar study using measuring devices on American footballers found increased neck strength could reduce a player's chances of concussion, Dr Salmon said.
Force measured by the devices would show up instantly on monitoring screens used by the Otago South Island brain injury research group, led by Dr Hamish Osborne.
Otago rugby coach Cory Brown said the research was exciting.
''I think the study is exciting if it helps us get more of an idea on the players' condition and risk of concussion.''
The team took concussion seriously, he said.
He did not believe the devices would get in the way of play, but wondered whether adhesive tape would be enough to keep them in place.
New Zealand Rugby medical director Ian Murphy said the research could have implications for the prevention and detection of concussion in rugby.
''Collecting data from players involved in one of our most competitive rugby competitions, the Mitre 10 Cup, has the potential to provide vital information in helping determine which players are most at risk from blows to the head or body that may contribute to concussion.''
The research team would also measure the neurocognitive function of players before and after the season, to see if there was a link between neurocognitive function and head impacts, Dr Salmon said.