Source: SyncThink
Football and wrestling programs at ISU benefit from adoption of latest technology for enhanced student-athlete protection
Palo Alto, CA — August 14, 2017 — SyncThink, a leader in neuro-technology revolutionizing the way concussion related impairments are objectively identified, announces its partnership with Iowa State University (ISU) athletics to provide the EYE-SYNC technology. The athletic training staff have recently completed comprehensive training and onboarding. ISU plans to deploy EYE-SYNC on the sidelines for immediate concussion assessment, and clinically as part of the return-to-play protocol to optimize player safety and performance on campus.
“We chose to incorporate EYE-SYNC into our concussion identification and management plan combining it with our existing technology to provide us with quick, objective data assessing potential ocular-motor dysfunction as the initial part of our evaluation process,” said Mark Coberley, Director of Sports Medicine and Associate Athletics Director at Iowa State University. “Utilizing EYE-SYNC with our other technologies is allowing us to more easily identify possible concussions, determine appropriate return to play decisions, and as importantly, target and evaluate identified areas of dysfunction that can be addressed more effectively during the recovery process.
Developed by Dr. Jamshid Ghajar MD, PHD of Stanford University, EYE-SYNC uses VR and eye-tracking technology to objectively measure impairments identified in concussion in just sixty seconds. It is the only objective and comprehensive assessment tool to reliably assess ocular-motor synchronization deficits, vestibular balance dysfunction, and is accompanied by the recently released SCAT5. The EYE-SYNC also features a cloud-connected, HIPAA compliant analytics platform that delivers results without bias from the patient or clinician. EYE-SYNC has been used in both athletic and military settings in partnership with the Department of Defense.
This partnership with ISU solidifies a commitment to improving player safety by equipping the department with advanced technology to assess student –athletes exhibiting impact related disorientation immediately after it occurs. With prior experience as the Director of Athletic Training at Stanford University, SyncThink’s Chief Customer Officer Scott Anderson knows just how beneficial the EYE-SYNC device can be, whether it be used clinically during recovery or during the heat of a game.
“It’s a tremendous opportunity for us to partner with an elite institution and athletics department like Iowa State University”, Anderson said. “ I’m excited for them to see the value our technology will bring to their sidelines and injury clinic, and most importantly to know their student-athletes will be comforted by seeing objectively how their impairments resolve with appropriate treatment, ensuring safe return to sport.”
EYE-SYNC is the first reliable tool to identify functional impairments in real time, enabling immediate remove-from-play decisions to be made. It provides the functionality to identify unresolved prior injury, the mobility to conduct a fast and objective assessment from the sidelines, as well as frequent monitoring to ensure recovery and predict return to play. Post-injury, the EYE-SYNC technology is a critical objective measure to monitor progress and provide confirmation that the impairment has resolved.
At ISU, the football and wrestling teams will immediately benefit from the onboarding of the EYE-SYNC technology, with other programs quickly to follow. The technology will be used for baseline concussion testing as well as added to the University concussion management protocol.
About SyncThink
SyncThink develops revolutionary eye-tracking technology products, now in VR headsets, that give medical professionals objective metrics for visual attention. Based on 15 years of research and holding over 10 patents, SyncThink’s first product, EYE-SYNC, is a 60-second, objective sideline assessment that uses eye tracking to evaluate for ocular motor impairments and vestibular balance dysfunction – the two most common and serious components of concussion. FDA-cleared for detecting eye-tracking impairment, EYE-SYNC is used by leading university athletic departments and medical clinics, from Stanford University to Massachusetts General Hospital, EYE-SYNC is transforming concussion assessment, recovery, and monitoring. www.syncthink.com
