FDA Approves Device to Detect Concussions

The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new device to detect concussions, a mild form of truamatic brain injury. “Eye-Sync” is a product created by Boston based neuro-technology company SyncThink that uses infrared cameras to track eye movements. The company claims that the eye-sync product will be able to detect concussions in one minute, offering fast opinions into whether athletes have suffered a concussion during play.

The device works when the user puts on a virtual reality headset connected to a computer with a moving circle in the display. As the user follows the circle in the display, the cameras follow the eyes and data is collected which is compared against a baseline of normal eye movement for diagnosis.

The news of FDA approval comes as public awareness for concussions and head trauma is on the rise. With the recent acknowledgement by the National Football League that football related concussions are linked with the degenerative brain disease chronoic traumatic encephalopathy, diagnosing and treating concussions is even more important.

The company who produced the Eye-sync is actively working with the U.S. military and university sports teams on the device which is currently priced at $25,000.00.

The impact of Traumatic brain injuries can vary from mild to devastating. Symptoms of concussions can vary from slurred speech, vomiting, headaches and confusion. In some instances, symptoms of a concussion can take several days to appear. Treatment for concussions and mild traumatic brain injuries vary and can include treatment for headaches and nausea to vision therapy.