Stimulus- Evoked Vestibular Evaluation System

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Vesticon is developing a Stimulus-Evoked Vestibular Evaluation System (SEVE) for detection/analysis of sound and pressure evoked manifestations of conditions causing dizziness or imbalance for application at medical facilities. Such conditions comprise a significant portion of all disorders resulting in complaints of dizziness/imbalance. In all, dizziness and imbalance disorders chronically affect 6.2 million Americans, where balance-related falls account for more than half of accidental deaths in the elderly. Although treatment is available, diagnosis poses a significant problem with diverse causes and symptoms requiring advanced technology to assist in the detection/analysis. Current technology is limited to single-function, difficult-to-operate, non- interpretative products, which are neither comprehensive nor time-efficient. SEVE will automate diagnostic and localizing tests that are well known in the literature, but are often discounted, not performed correctly or not performed at all due to practicality, and lack of standardization and training. Recently, Ph. I work was completed where we developed a working prototype and demonstrated the value of SEVE in a small subject cohort and assessed user friendliness. For Ph. II, we anticipate developing several novel protocols, adding additional testing and functionality, engineering modifications, enhancing software for diagnostic protocols, interpretation, integrative analysis for decision support, and evaluating SEVE's performance with a subject population at the PI's clinic and 2 independent sites.