Development of an Underwater Oculometric Assessment Tool
Abstract
A number of neurologic syndromes are associated with undersea operations, including neurologic decompression sickness, hypoxia, hypercarbia, and CNS O2 toxicity. Automated neurologic assessment technologies have been developed that could provide early detection and management of undersea related neurologic syndromes. Small eye movement cameras, known as Videooculographic (VOG) systems, have been extensively used for clinical assessment of eye movements, which represent objective and quantifiable neurologic function. A recent advance now allows simultaneous measurement of (1) eye movements, (2) pupil control dynamics and (3) coordination of eye and pupil movements and (4) eyelid blinks. Recent studies have demonstratedthat coordinated eye convergence movements and pupillary constriction can differentiate control subjects and mild TBI patients and aids in deciding return to duty or referral for rehabilitation. Pupil responses are also indicators of oxygenation status at high altitude. This technology shows considerable promise for applications in many operational environments for unobtrusively monitoring physiological status and vigilance. This proposal will deliver a systemthat will be useful as a research tool and as a potential system for detecting early sentinel signs of nitrogen narcosis, hypercapnia, CNS oxygen toxicity, otic barotrauma, and other neurologic syndromes associated with undersea environments. Additionally, this tool could be used to identify changes associated with diver fatigue and cognitive decline. The objective of this effort is to deliver an integrated, non-invasive, diver-worn test system that can rapidly and repeatedly evaluate the undersea-related effects on diver physiology and neurological condition. This tool will be tested for its ability to capture eye movement patterns reliably. The tool will also be pressure tested, bothin a diver mask and separate from the mask, prior to in-water safety testing.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 31, 2020
- Source ID
- N000142012340
Entities
People
- Dawn Kernagis
Organizations
- Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy