Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system and method for characterizing an impact in a fabric. The system may include a sensing element woven in the fabric wherein a parameter of the sensing element depends on a strain in the sensing element; a transducer coupled to the sensing element wherein the transducer is configured to generate an output based on the parameter of the sensing element; and a controller coupled to the transducer, the controller configured to receive the output of the transducer, to determine a strain in the sensing element based, at least in part, on a change in the output of the transducer, and to characterize the impact in the fabric based on the strain in the sensing element.