A new concussion-detecting device made by Blinktbi is hoping to use an athlete’s blink reflex to search for impairments that might indicate brain trauma.
The Blinktbi device administers a 20-second test that assesses neurological impairment by tracking eyelid movement and reflex time in athletes. It blasts five small puffs of air into their eyes and measures their blink reflex using high-speed cameras. The blink reflex has been used historically by doctors to detect neurological impulses of patients in a coma. Research by Dena Garner, a professor of exercise science at The Citadel, that used Blinktbi’s system suggested the blink reflex could be an immediate way to assess concussions.