NeuroLyze , DifferenceMakers
Team NeuroLyze is developing a smart device that can be inserted into helmets to track the magnitude of impact and alert athletes to the need for medical attention.
Contribution to a Healthier Lifestyle Award at the 11th Annual DifferenceMaker $50,000 Idea Challenge
While the long-term damage caused from concussions are still being studied, there are many negative effects that impact athletes later in their future as a result of head trauma from years prior. Mechanical Engineering Senior, Jeremy Hilton, Computer Science Senior, Anthony Lawlor and Applied Biomedical Sciences Junior, Elliot Johnson wanted to find a way to prevent long term brain damage caused by concussions. Team NeuroLyze was formed and competed in the 2023 $50,000 Idea Challenge. The team focused on taking preventive actions by alerting athletes when they possibly experienced trauma to the head so that they could seek immediate medical attention and to avoid further damage.
Team NeuroLyze proposed a smart device that can be inserted into helmets to track the magnitude of impact. Sports like football, hockey, snowboarding, and skiing are all considered highly dangerous sports as they contribute to the most head injuries. The team presented data which displayed the large number of athletes that suffer from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) which is caused from unmanaged head trauma. This irreversible and life-threatening condition could have been avoided if only there was a way to know that the athlete suffered a concussion. The current issue is that it is extremely difficult to distinguish between a concussion or just a hard hit. This device would be able to measure the impact and then notify the player if the magnitude exceeded the standard level. NeuroLyze was awarded the Contribution to a Healthier Lifestyle award (sponsored by Enterprise Bank) for $4,000 which they plan to use to purchase the technology needed to create the device and conduct additional testing.