Halifax Consciousness Scanner

The Halifax Consciousness Scanner is a prototype medical device that uses auditory tones and speech stimuli to evaluate the presence or absence of specific brain functions.[1] It is a technology-based alternative to the Glasgow Coma Scale of measurement, a common neurological assessment tool introduced in 1974.[2]

The Halifax Consciousness Scanner is used to diagnose patients suffering from brain injuries and related conditions.[3] The device measures various levels of conscious awareness; a task which can be difficult using only the behavioural response feedback (eye, verbal and motor activity) inherent to the Glasgow Coma Scale.[4] Incorporating advancements in modern medical imaging technologies, the Halifax Consciousness Scanner provides a method for measuring and capturing neurological response data.[5]

An incomplete understanding of a brain injured patient’s brain response can contribute to the belief and diagnosis that the patient is in a vegetative state.[6]

Dr. Ryan C.N. D’Arcy conceived the idea for the Halifax Consciousness Scanner in 2001 while exploring new ways to improve the Glasgow Coma Scale.[7] In 2009, the prototype developed by Dr. Ryan D’Arcy and Dr. Donald Weaver was funded by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and the Province of Nova Scotia (Innovacorp).[8]

The Halifax Consciousness Scanner is currently under exclusive license to Mindful Scientific, Inc., a company founded by Ryan C.N. D'Arcy, Dr. Don Weaver and Chris Barden.[9] Mindful Scientific credits Ryan C.N. D’Arcy, Ph.d. as the chief architect and inventor of the medical device.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "Halifax Magazine (Brain Power)". halifaxmag.com. Retrieved 2016-03-23.
  2. ↑ "What is GCS - Glasgow Coma Scale". glasgowcomascale.org. Retrieved 2016-03-23.
  3. ↑ "Brainwave scanner offers cheat-proof concussion test, aimed at sports leagues". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2016-03-23.
  4. ↑ "Consciousness test offers hope for non-responsive patients". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2016-03-23.
  5. ↑ "CLINICAL APPLICATIONS OF THE HALIFAX CONSCIOUSNESS SCANNER: TRACKING RECOVERY IN A SEVERELY BRAIN INJURED PATIENT (Houston, Texas USA) International Brain Injury Association - IBIA". www.internationalbrain.org. Retrieved 2016-03-23.
  6. ↑ Gawryluk, Jodie R; D'Arcy, Ryan CN; Connolly, John F; Weaver, Donald F (2010-01-29). "Improving the clinical assessment of consciousness with advances in electrophysiological and neuroimaging techniques". BMC Neurology. 10: 11. doi:10.1186/1471-2377-10-11. ISSN 1471-2377. PMC 2828440Freely accessible. PMID 20113490.
  7. ↑ Canada, Government of Canada. National Research Council. "ARCHIVED - Reaching". www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-03-23.
  8. ↑ "Early Stage Commercialization Fund: 2009-2010 Funded Projects". Innovacorp. Retrieved 2016-03-23.
  9. ↑ "Taking a brainwave to market". www.progressmedia.ca. Retrieved 2016-03-23.
  10. ↑ "The Team at Mindful Scientific". mindfulscientific.ca. Retrieved 2016-03-23.
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