If you have a concussion, the real danger comes from not taking it seriously and not seeking medical advice.
Rosina Samadani is Oculologicais the New Richmond-based manufacturer of the Eye Box, an innovative medical device that evaluates eye movements to detect clues to cranial function related to concussive impact.
“They say if you see one concussion, it’s just one concussion. Every concussion is different. Concussions are complex. It requires a multifaceted evaluation,” Samadani said.
Rosina’s sister, Uzma Samadani, founded Oculogica in 2013 to develop the iBox technology as one component of a comprehensive concussion testing protocol.
The technology leverages AI in a variety of ways, including developing algorithms to determine what to look for in eye movements that may indicate the presence or absence of a concussion.
“Our technology tracks eye movements while people watch simple video stimuli moving on a screen. We look at how well coordinated their eyes are and how smoothly they move,” Samadani said.
The eye box weighs 12 pounds and the test takes 4 minutes to complete.
“It’s as simple as watching TV,” Samadani said.
Traditional concussion testing involves a baseline screening, which measures how well a person’s brain functions normally (pre-injury) and compares it to post-injury so that any changes or abnormalities can be identified.
Baselines take time and planning, are subjective, are not always available, and for athletes, can be gamified or compromised to avoid being taken out of the game.
The eyebox does not require a baseline.
Over the course of 200 seconds, the Eye Box captures 100,000 data points from the patient’s eye movements in response to a stimulus video. This information is then passed to Oculogica’s proprietary algorithms, and the device outputs a score from 0 to 20 (the BOX score).
Concussions are measured in different degrees depending on the severity.
Oculologica built a database by testing both healthy individuals and those with concussions, ages 5 to 67. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed in 2018 that the testing data helped diagnose concussions.
The FDA considers a score below 10 to be normal and a score of 10 or more to be abnormal, indicating a possible concussion.
Samadani clarified that the EyeBox is intended to be used in conjunction with other tests to determine whether or not an athlete has a concussion.
“A concussion diagnosis has to be made in light of everything else that’s going on with the person at the time of diagnosis. It’s not just one test,” Samadani said.
At its headquarters in New Richmond, iBox employs 10 staff members who handle research and development, quality control and order fulfillment. Minetronics In Minneapolis.
“We’re a small company trying to make noise in a very noisy world. We still have a long way to go, but we’re also making good progress,” Samadani said.
Eyebox technology is used in private clinics and hospitals, and is currently Pediatrics, Emergency Medicine, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Pain Medicine, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Sports Medicine and Orthopaedics.
Don’t expect to see this technology in your phone anytime soon.
“The FDA isn’t really interested in people diagnosing their own concussions. The FDA and the industry believe the brain is important enough that doctors need to be involved,” Samadani said.
Repeated concussions can impair cognitive, mood, vestibular, and visual function.
“If you hit your head, take it seriously and get diagnosed quickly and accurately. It can make a big difference in your long-term outcome. Get it checked by someone who knows what to do and make sure you’re fully recovered before returning to work or play,” Samadani said.
This test is covered by some insurance companies, please check with your insurance company or call Oculogica.
