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Georgia Athletics: University forms a partnership with SyncThink

By Kyle Funderburk

ATHENS, GA - NOVEMBER 29: Georgia Bulldogs mascot Hairy Dawg poses before the game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Sanford Stadium on November 29, 2008 in Athens, Georgia. The Yellow Jackets defeated the Bulldogs 45-42. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)
ATHENS, GA - NOVEMBER 29: Georgia Bulldogs mascot Hairy Dawg poses before the game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Sanford Stadium on November 29, 2008 in Athens, Georgia. The Yellow Jackets defeated the Bulldogs 45-42. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images) /
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The University of Georgia Athletics Department announced a partnership with SyncThink early Monday morning. This is a big step in ensuring the health and safety of student-athletes.

Georgia athletics took a step up in the ongoing battle against concussions and head injuries Monday morning. The university announced a partnership with SyncThink for use of their technology called Eye-Sync. All 19 of UGA’s athletics programs will have access to the technology. SyncThink has deals with other college programs as well as a few professional sports franchises.

EYE-SYNC works with a virtual reality headset that connects to a tablet. Trainers will have both with them on sidelines ready for use at all times. EYE-SYNC can’t diagnose concussions, but it can detect visual impairments that may be a result of concussions. And it does so at a rapid pace.

EYE-SYNC gives trainers a good idea of how bad a head injury is, and allows them to act faster and more confidently. It also allows the players to know when they should sit out and when they’re okay to go back into a game.

However, concussions and brain injuries aren’t the only issues that EYE-SYNC can detect. The Golden State Warriors for instance also use it to detect fatigue. The Warriors test their players every 20 days to determine if a player needs to take time off.

How Eye-Sync works

According to SyncThink’s web page for their EYE-SYNC product:

“With EYE-SYNC, an individual watches a target in circular motion. The test is not trying to stress or confuse the user; rather, it aims to create the most predictable environment possible. The test then measures the user’s eye motion and characterizes how well it synchronizes with the moving target across two synchronization metrics: radial (or spatial) variability and tangential (or timing) variability.”

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Essentially, the longer it takes for the eye to detect movement, the more serious a brain injury is. If the reaction time is quick, an athlete shouldn’t have to miss too many plays. And if they eye reacts too slowly, the trainer can make the decision to take the athlete to the locker room and end their day if needed to.

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