Using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), we can monitor the brain for sudden drops in blood volume and oxygen to warn pilots when they are at risk of GLOC. A small sensor is placed against the back of pilot’s head, inside the helmet, to provide this information. Initial testing, development, and modeling were performed through experiments in a centrifuge at Brooks Army Base.
In Phase II of this project, Area 10 Labs combined NIRS and EEG within a single, helmet-mounted device. On-board algorithms, generated by machine learning, process these physiologic signals to predict GLOC prior to onset that provides the opportunity to intervene before potential GLOC-related mishap.