SBIR-STTR Award

The objective of this project is the development of an assessment system that will be able to determine the likelihood of a warrior having suffered a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The basis of the determination will be a computerized assessment of the functioning of the II, III, IV, VI, and VIII cranial nerves. This set of nerves provides the opportunity to obtain a sensitive and quantitative evaluation of two critical physiological control systems, eye movement and postural balance, that are, because of their high degree of sophistication, very sensitive to cerebral injury. In conjunction with mTBI experts part of the aim of the Phase I effort will be to evaluate and down-select different eye movement tracking and postural control assessment technologies and neurological testing criteria. In addition, control algorithms based on established machine learning approaches will be designed to enable the system to integrate inputs from the multiple sensor systems and to make categorical decisions. Comprehensive plans for Phase II for the construction of a prototype system and its testing in a population of injured warriors large enough to yield statistically significant results to support the validity of the neurological testing criteria will be laid out.

Keywords:
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Ptsd, Traumatic Brain Injury, Tbi, Cranial Nerve Dysfunction, Mtbi, Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Neurological Assessment

In response to the need, in forward areas, of assessing the likelihood of a mTBI having occurred, the objective of this project is the development of the CBIAS computerized assessment system that will be able to make this determination on the basis of the functioning of the II, III, IV, VI, and VIII cranial nerves. They provide the opportunity to obtain a sensitive and quantitative evaluation of two critical physiological control systems, eye movement and postural balance, that are, because of their high degree of sophistication, very sensitive to cerebral injury. As part of the successful Phase I feasibility study 1. Candidate assessment technologies were down-selected with regard to effectiveness, complexity, and ease of implementation 2. System specifications were developed in consultation with mTBI/PTSD experts and 3. Detailed plans for the clinical studies to be performed under Phase II at several US military sites were developed. The principal aims under Phase II are 1. build of preliminary field prototypes, 2. clinical studies involving 250 mTBI, mTBI/PTSD diagnosed and uninjured military personnel, 3. initiation of FDA approval & design of theatre-deployable systems. Intended for deployment up to and including echelon II, the system will be highly mobile, compact, and rugged.