

The push to create a $30 portable brain recorder - codegeek
http://www.cnbc.com/id/101062968

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superails
It's highly doubtful the example mentioned (checked brain waves after an
injury) is something EMT's are dying to have available in a portable format.
Checking brain waves regularly as part of triage of head injury by an EMT is
unlikely, imo. Less technical triage methods work fine.

Other than perhaps some use in doctors without borders, the only really useful
brain activity that could be recorded with anything close to $30 worth of tech
would be during sleep.

I had a few sleep studies several years ago; the electrodes were really not
comfortable because of all of the wires. If that $30 sensor could be hooked to
an iPhone and came with 8-10 reusable wireless electrodes (though hopefully it
would only take 2-4) that were comfortable to wear while sleeping- and in the
morning it could give me the amount of time in each stage of sleep- that might
sell.

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joeyo
I suspect DARPA wants brain sensors in every Advanced Combat Helmet. Add some
accelerometers and impact sensors and you could start to collect all sorts of
interesting data--biomarkers for TBI, perhaps even early predictors of PTSD.

~~~
toomuchtodo
To take it a step further, once you're equipping soldiers with sensors, you
have the ability to build workflows around the data. You'll assign medical
teams to people _as the damage occurs_ , and have them standing by when the
person returns with all the data necessary to perform whatever treatment is
required.

~~~
superails
Yes, per the post we're discussing: "Including EEGs in basic military first
aid kits would also help with both medical diagnostics and clinical care for
deployed soldiers"

However, unlike what the parent comment said, brain waves on the field are not
going to be used in the short-term to diagnose PTSD. Potential uses of sensors
in the helmet would be:

1\. Control of other devices (and this better be wired, or the enemy could
really screw with wireless).

2\. Feedback/stats about the resource in question, e.g. he just got blown up,
is his brain still working?, OR these guys just got hit with nerve gas.

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frozenport
>> "Having EEGs in every classroom in America would engage students in science
and technology in a way not previously possible in the field of neuroscience."

If we could just get kids to learn the fundamentals I would be happy. For
example, should we show EEGs instead of ohms law?

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devx
NSA will be all over stuff like this when it will happen. I can already see
them saying "We've got to know what the terrorists are _thinking_ , to protect
the nation."

