SyncThink’s eye-tracking helps monitor brain health and concussion risk

SyncThink, which uses a virtual reality headset and eye-tracking to perform neurotechnology and brain health analytics, said it has partnered with two clinic chains that can use the tech to evaluate patients for brain health and concussion risk.

The Comprehensive Concussion Care (C3) and Brain Fitness Centers of Florida will use the VR-based Eye-Sync system to help diagnose patients who have cognitive impairment or possible concussions.

The additions of C3 and Brain Fitness Centers of Florida join an expanding roster of clinical partners that include top institutions like Massachusetts General Hospital, Wentworth-Douglass, Houston Methodist, Children’s National Hospital, and Stanford Children’s Hospital.

Brain Fitness Centers of Florida provides individualized cognitive rehabilitation programs serving patients with a loss of brain function, mild cognitive impairment, and early dementia.

They also specialize in diagnosis and treatment of mild traumatic brain injury. The centers focus on creating customizable cognitive training programs that can be taught in a one-on-one setting and modified as needed to best suit the patient’s needs. These programs are based on the extensive clinical and research efforts of founder Stephen Scranton.

“We at Brain Fitness Centers of Florida are excited to implement Eye-Sync to assess brain trauma and age-related neurophysiologic and neuroanatomic dysfunction,” Scranton said in a statement. “It will add a valuable methodology for data collection needed in the diagnosis and post-treatment assessment of therapy.”

C3 is a multidisciplinary clinic in the Kansas City area that specializes in the multi-system approach to concussion management. The clinic acts as the referral source for local health care practices, emergency departments, community sports programs, and employers, allowing the public immediate post-injury access to advanced clinical specialists.

And C3 is known for utilizing an extensive evaluation process to identify the source of concussion-related symptoms, which allows for an individualized treatment program to target any dysfunctions identified. The team works closely with other community-based clinicians to guide return to learning and play in a safe and effective manner.

“It has been said that the eyes are the gateway to the brain. This is certainly true for concussion patients, who often struggle with ocular pain, visual impairment, light sensitivity, or eye movement dysfunction after a head injury. For clinicians treating concussion, this requires training and understanding of the ocular system and how to best manage visual sensory motor dysfunction,” said C3 cofounder Tim Kalkman in a statement. “Our partnership and use of the Eye-Sync platform now provides us the ability to utilize objective assessments and clinic-based vision training options for our patients and to more readily advance them to a full recovery. We are happy to be the first clinic in the Kansas City metro area to offer the FDA-cleared Eye-Sync mobile platform to our concussion patients.”

Eye-Sync uses high-speed, high-fidelity infrared cameras to capture the subtlest eye movements, many of which cannot be observed through a standard clinical evaluation.

Depending on the type of eye movement, a clinician can utilize this objective analysis to decipher between brain systems that may be performing poorly or are impaired. The technology is a leader in the objective measurement of clinical subtypes commonly identified in conditions like concussion and was recently designated by the FDA as a Breakthrough Device for aid to concussion assessment, recognizing the potential to solve an important unmet need.

SyncThink said it has 30 published peer-reviewed papers and 14 granted patents and is being used by more than 20 universities. The company has 12 employees and has raised $7.1 million in investor funds. It also received $36 million in non-dilutive military funding.