A neurotech company, NeuroSync has come up with a virtual reality eye tracking device that can analyze eye movement to determine cognitive fatigue. Eye tracking is not a very new technology. It has been there for a while. In fact, NeuroSync launched an eye tracking device in 2016 which was used quite widely in the sporting industry. It was primarily used as a concussion detector for athletes.
Chelsea Lane, an athletic performance specialist who’s worked with major sporting teams started using NeuroSync for a different purpose. She figured that the eye tracking tech can be used to determine if an athlete is fatigued. NeuroSync took the idea and started building an actual device that is intended for that specific purpose.
The new device is called ProSync. It’s a VR headset that tracks the eye movement of the participants while they perform certain tasks. It is designed to monitor the voluntary and involuntary movements of the eyes.
Our eyes are great indicators of our brain functions. When the body is fatigued, its signs are shown by the brain as well. The eyes do not sync with one another properly.
Concussion or brain injury also has some other indicators in the eyes that are different from the indicators of fatigue. In fact, 40% of the time brain fatigue can not be detected by concussion detectors.
This tool can be a great addition for any sporting team as it can analyze fatigue that is not visible physically and save athletes from injuries that are catalyzed by fatigue.
ProSync works in two levels. Firstly it scores athletes on cognitive functioning and secondly indicates readiness by assessing fatigue levels.
“It’s looking for the eye movement abnormalities that are going to give us an indication, right away, of whether or not someone has a tired brain,” said Scott Anderson, the Chief Clinical Officer at NeuroSync.
There’s some scepticism regarding this product as well. For instance, Uzma Samadani, a brain surgeon, said that the problem with this product is, it asks the participants to perform a task. The results of the analysis may vary based on the participants’ approach to the process. She said, “it’s a measure of how well your participant wants to track that particular target.”
