The goal of this senior design project is fourfold: 1. Investigate the various types of in-vitro hydrogel testing methods used to mimic TBI; 2. Fabricate gel-alg hydrogels of varying mechanical properties by altering the concentrations of the reagents; 3. Obtain equation of state values (density, sound speed, slope) of hydrogels through laser-shock testing; 4. Correlate experimental conditions (e.g., laser energy) to pressure to generate different magnitude shockwaves. The understanding of the deformation response of the hydrogel would allow the design of an optimal laser shock setup to test the propagation of forces during TBI (in-vitro). This will help us understand how encapsulated cells respond under applied stresses. Insight into this model will further reveal important facts about TBI for future studies and help with proper diagnostic technologies.