SyncThink, a Berkeley-based eye-tracking and brain firm, announced the closing of a $3.5 million Series A-1 funding round led by Quadrant Management. The company expects to use the funds to continue development on their EYE-SYNC technology, a VR-based eye-tracking technology to help diagnose concussions on the playing field.
On-field concussion detection is still woefully primitive, contends the company, largely relying on the traditional ‘follow my finger’ routine to determine if someone is concussed or not. Using a GearVR with embedded eye-tracking tech, the company says their Eye-Sync technology is able to view and analyze ocular-motor impairment—one of the big clues in diagnosing concussion. As a part of a larger diagnostic platform, Eye-Sync is said to quickly diagnose brain health via ocular-motor, ocular-vestibular, SCAT 5, and BESS assessments.
“The EYE-SYNC technology was initially developed to identify changes in brain function after injury, however its application has evolved significantly in recent years, and we intend to leverage our core technology to expand the many ways we can help people get the most out of their daily life activities,” founder and Stanford Neurosurgeon Dr. Jamshid Ghajar stated.
The company says the Series A funding round “marks the next step for SyncThink to assist medical professionals in making objective decisions on the sidelines of sports fields, in clinics, and beyond.” The company’s Eye-Sync tech received FDA clearance in 2016 to record, view, and analyze eye movements in support of visual tracking impairments. SyncThink also boasts partnerships with the Pac-12 Conference, the University of Texas, and the NBA Champion Golden State Warriors.