SyncThink’s Eye-Sync device will be used in a year-long concussion study at the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)
Neurotechnology company SyncThink has partnered with the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. to examine ocular motor deficits in youths diagnosed with a concussion. The year-long investigation will study patients aged six to 16.
SyncThink’s flagship eye-tracking product, Eye-Sync, will be used to better understand vision and brain-function issues seen in children and adolescents after sustaining a concussion. Leading the study are physicians and researchers Gerard Gioia, director of the the Children’s National Safe Concussion Outcome Recovery and Education (SCORE) program, and Christopher Vaughan, the assistant director of SCORE.
“The SCORE program at Children’s National was established in 2003 with the mission of promoting developmentally appropriate assessment and treatment for children with concussion,” Dr. Vaughan said in a press release. “Measuring eye tracking in youth with the EYE-SYNC product may improve our multimodal and developmentally sensitive assessment process.”
Eye-Sync can detect impairments that might indicate a concussion. Sports teams can use SyncThink’s technology on the sidelines during a game, and learn within a minute whether a player can safely return to action. SyncThink is used by the Pac-12 Conference, Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, and the University of Texas. The company will be exhibiting its technology at CES this January. Children’s National Medical Center in D.C. is ranked among the top five children’s hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
“By identifying ocular motor specific problems after concussion, we can move toward providing early targeted treatment interventions for these kids with ocular motor and vestibular problems after injury,” Dr. Vaughan stated in the press release.
SportTechie Takeaway
Vision impairment is among the most common issues that affect concussion patients and the path to recovery after brain injury has been difficult for current and former MLB players. As well as detecting possible concussions, the Warriors also use SyncThink to monitor fatigue.
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