I-Corps: Neurologic assessment tool to identify patients with traumatic brain injury

这个I-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发一种设备来测量大脑做出瞬间决定的能力（大脑速度），以识别创伤性脑损伤（TBI）。 执行功能是大脑专注于重要事物的能力。 与快速反应时间相结合，执行功能使人类能够做出重要的瞬间决定。 然而，目前用于测量这些“大脑生命体征”的方法昂贵，不准确，并且过度依赖计算机。 已知反应时间和执行功能与脑震荡/TBI、衰老、跌倒风险、睡眠障碍、药物使用和驾驶安全有关。 所提出的技术具有在各种应用中使用的潜力。 体育部门和国防部（DoD）对头部受伤后认知功能的便携式客观测量有明显的未满足的需求，急诊科和医院将受益于这项技术的速度，简单性和成本。 老年病学家和物理治疗师表示有兴趣快速测试他们的病人的大脑速度。 最后，这项技术测试的能力，使瞬间的决定，所以有可能是执法和机动车辆部的应用，以提高驾驶员的安全与此technology.This I-Corps项目的基础上开发的临床神经评估工具的反应时间，短潜伏期冲动抑制，和执行功能的创伤性脑损伤（TBI）患者的评估。所提出的设备被设计为测量反应时间和快速决策的基础上的规则下降的方法。 反应时间的准确测量已被证明是有用的诊断，预后和恢复监测那些患有脑震荡。此外，来自美国国家大学体育协会（NCAA）-国防部资助的脑震荡评估研究和教育（CARE）研究的最新数据表明，拟议的技术在诊断脑震荡方面比行业标准计算机化测试（ImPACT）更有效，同时管理更快，更便携，更具成本效益。有出版的证据表明，基于屏幕的反应时间测试的准确性和精确度由于硬件/软件不一致以及测试的非激励性质量而受到影响。 与计算机化测试相比，所提出的技术已被证明具有内在的激励作用，并且响应时间更快，变化更小。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a device to measure the brain's ability to make split-second decisions (brain speed) to identify traumatic brain injury (TBI). Executive function is the brain’s ability to focus on what matters. Paired with quick reaction time, executive function allows humans to make important, split-second decisions. However, the methods currently used to measure these “brain vital signs” are expensive, inaccurate, and overly reliant on computers. Reaction time and executive function are known to be associated with concussion/TBI, aging, fall risk, sleep disorders, drug use, and driving safety. The proposed technology has the potential for use in a variety of applications. Athletic departments and the Department of Defense (DoD) have a clear unmet need for a portable, objective measure of cognitive function following head injuries, and emergency departments and hospitals would benefit from the speed, simplicity, and cost of this technology. Geriatricians and physical therapists have expressed interest in allowing rapid testing of their patient’s brain speed. Lastly, this technology tests the ability to make split-second decisions, so there may be applications for law enforcement and the Department of Motor Vehicles to enhance driver safety with this technology.This I-Corps project is based on the development of a clinical neurologic assessment tool for the assessment of reaction time, short latency impulse inhibition, and executive function for patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). The proposed device is designed to measure reaction time and quick decision making based on a ruler-drop method. Accurate measurement of reaction time has been shown to be useful in the diagnosis, prognosis, and recovery monitoring of those suffering from concussion. In addition, recent data from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)-DoD funded Concussion Assessment Research and Education (CARE) study indicate that the proposed technology is more effective than the industry standard computerized test (ImPACT) at diagnosing concussion, while being faster to administer, more portable, and more cost-effective. There is published evidence that the accuracy and precision of screen-based reaction time tests suffer due to hardware/software inconsistencies and due to the non-motivating quality of the tests. The proposed technology has been shown to be inherently motivating and results in faster and less variable response times as compared with computerized testing.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.