A number of technologies, e.g., hand-held electroencephalograms (EEG), head-based accelerometers, and neuromotor analytics including metrics of eye tracking, balance and gait, are emerging to provide greater objectivity and to complement existing neurocognitive measures of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Despite these successes, several important barriers to device development exist and limit innovation and validation of new technology. These barriers include undefined concussion conditions, a need to increase specificity by linking injury marker, and a lack of normative reference bases.

The Emerging Technologies Expert Working Group was established with the goal of developing a strategy for validating medical devices and other emerging tools as biomarkers within specific contexts of use to improve healthcare and outcomes for people with TBI.

Expert Working Group Lead: Jam Ghajar, MD PhD | Dr. Ghajar is President of the Brain Trauma Foundation, which develops and implements evidence-based guidelines for TBI. He was recently appointed Clinical Professor of Neurosurgery at Stanford and Director of the Stanford Concussion and Brain Performance Center. He focuses on improving outcomes from TBI and promoting the new neuroscience of the Predictive Brain State.

Co-Lead: Mona Hicks, PhD | Dr. Hicks assumed the role of Chief Scientific Officer for One Mind in October, 2014. One Mind is dedicated to benefiting all affected by brain illness and injury by fostering fundamental changes to radically accelerate the development and implementation of improved diagnostics, treatments and cures. Before joining One Mind, Dr. Hicks was the Program Director for the Extramural TBI Research Program at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. She participated in numerous interagency activities resulting in common data elements for TBI research, the Federal Interagency TBI Research Informatics System (FITBIR), the NIH-NFL Sports Health Research Program, and the International TBI Research Initiative (InTBIR).