Applied Neuroscience

Services

Neuroscience is advancing rapidly, especially with the development of noninvasive, portable technologies like functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS). This innovative technology offers a unique, operational window into brain activity, allowing us to assess cognitive load and performance under real-world conditions. By applying these insights, we focus on supporting professionals in high-risk, time-sensitive environments, including military, aviation, and medical fields, where understanding brain activity can be crucial.

Our services are structured around two primary areas:

Enhancing Training Through Neuroscience
We have developed specialized protocols to measure and analyze brain activity during training sessions. By comparing the brain signatures of trainees with those of experts, we can pinpoint differences in activation across regions of interest within the prefrontal cortex (PFC). This allows us to tailor training to the specific cognitive needs of each individual, targeting areas for improvement and ultimately accelerating the mastery of skills. Furthermore, our team is able to monitor how long it takes operators to familiarize themselves with new systems. Through fNIRS, we can track brain activation patterns to determine when full proficiency has been achieved.
Evaluating Automation Technology to Reduce Operator Workload
In collaboration with military and industrial stakeholders, we have developed guidelines that use neuroscience to evaluate the effects of automation technology on operators’ mental workload. Our insights assist in identifying which operational scenarios would benefit from automation, ensuring that new technologies are effectively integrated into existing workflows. By analyzing brain activity, we help organizations determine the optimal balance between human operators and automated systems to enhance efficiency, safety, and cognitive performance.

Additionally, we are pioneering a project in high-stakes medical education, exploring whether neuroscience can be used as an objective assessment tool for evaluating trainee readiness. By understanding brain activation during complex tasks, we aim to enhance assessments for medical professionals in training, ensuring that they are fully prepared for critical, real-world situations.

Our applied neuroscience protocols allow us to provide a full spectrum of services, including:

Quantifying Cognitive Performance – Evaluating operators’ mental workload and cognitive engagement across diverse scenarios, from training to live operations.
Defining Individual Training Needs – Identifying specific brain activation patterns to customize training programs based on individual cognitive profiles.
Supporting System Familiarization – Determining the time required for trainees and operators to achieve system mastery.

With our advanced methodologies, we help clients make data-driven decisions to optimize human performance and integrate technology seamlessly. Our applied neuroscience services offer a clear advantage for any organization seeking to enhance training, reduce cognitive load through automation, or raise assessment standards in high-stakes environments.

What is functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS)?

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a non-invasive brain imaging technique that measures brain activity by detecting changes in blood oxygen levels. It works by shining near-infrared light into the brain and measuring how much light is absorbed or reflected. Since oxygenated and deoxygenated blood absorb light differently, fNIRS can estimate the levels of oxygen in the blood, which are linked to brain activity. In simpler terms, fNIRS is a method that helps us understand how the brain works by tracking blood oxygen changes when we think, make decisions, or perform tasks.

fNIRS offers several advantages over other neuroimaging techniques: (1) it is non-invasive; (2) it is highly portable; (3) it is tolerant to movement; (4) it is cost-effective; (5) it can be used simultaneously with EEG; (6) there is minimal discomfort; (7) it allows for real-time monitoring.

NeuroTargeted Training (NTT)

What is the issue with conventional simulator training?

Traditional performance assessments in simulators rely heavily on behavioral observations by instructors, such as checklists.

This approach has limitations, as it does not effectively measure the trainee’s mental effort, workload, or changes in brain plasticity (Mark et al., 2022; Ungerleider et al., 2002).

Furthermore, individual differences can result in inefficient skills acquisition, as trainees may progress at varying rates or require different levels of mental effort (Dotson et al., 2018).

What is NeuroTargeted Training?

NeuroTargeted Training is a personalized approach to learning and training that leverages advances in neuroscience, technology, and data analysis to tailor interventions based on an individual’s unique neural and cognitive profile.

The primary goal of NeuroTargeted Training is to optimize learning and performance by adjusting the training or intervention to the individual’s neural and cognitive responses.

We are currently involved in a number of NeuroTargeted Training projects to explore and refine how fNIRS can be used to make high-fidelity simulators more effective and cost-efficient by identifying personalized training needs. We have high hopes that this new approach to (simulator) training will revolutionize the training landscape.