Oculogica

Objective Concussion Diagnosis

Andrew Kuzemczak
June 17, 2025

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TL;DR

Oculogica was founded by neurosurgeon Dr. Uzma Samadani and led by her sister, biomedical engineer Dr. Rosina Samadani, to bring lab-developed eye-tracking technology for concussion detection into real-world clinical use.
Their FDA-cleared device, EyeBOX, tracks over 100,000 eye movement data points during a short video to objectively detect concussions without relying on verbal input, effort, or a pre-injury baseline.
With millions affected by concussions annually and billions in related costs, EyeBOX offers a faster, more scalable, and more accurate way to diagnose brain injuries across hospitals, sports, and military settings.

Hi friend,

Welcome back to Future Human! Thanks for bearing with me during last week’s break as I wrapped up M1 year. Hard to believe it’s already 25% done—feels like I just arrived in NYC yesterday. If you ever need a procedure one-quarter finished, apparently I’m your guy.

In all seriousness, this past year has been one of the best of my life. I’m so grateful to be surrounded by an incredible class and to be learning medicine in Manhattan. I’ve even come to appreciate the eye-melting hours of Anki.

Three more years to go until residency.

Now, let’s reverse course and rewind 14 years. Back in middle school, I fancied myself a bit of an athlete—though reality begs to differ. As a soccer goalie, I took pride in throwing my body in front of any shot, no matter the cost. One game, the only part of me that made contact with the ball was my face—and the ball showed little mercy. What followed were months of vomiting, dark rooms, and missed school. Eventually, I was told I had “recovered” from the concussion, though those who know me might question that statement.

That experience left me with a lasting curiosity about brain injury and recovery—even as a self-proclaimed never-neuro guy. Concussion diagnostics still feel like they’re stuck in 2011, and treatment hasn't changed much either. So today, we’re looking at a technology that might finally be pushing the field forward.

So with that, let me ask you:

If you hit your head and a doctor handed you a device that simply played a short video—no questions, no language, no prep—would you trust it to tell you whether you had a concussion?

The Story

We appear to have our second sibling duo, like with Parasym. In this case, the origin story also begins in an academic lab—albeit a neurosurgery lab.

Oculogica was founded in 2013 by Dr. Uzma Samadani, a neurosurgeon and scientist whose research was centered around eye tracking as a window into brain function. At the time, Dr. Samadani was pioneering methods to detect subtle neurological dysfunction by analyzing how patients' eyes moved while watching videos—a concept she and her lab would publish in seven peer-reviewed papers. Today, she remains an Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota and serves as Oculogica’s Scientific Advisor.

Enter her sister, Dr. Rosina Samadani—a biomedical engineer and seasoned health tech operator with three startups already under her belt. With a PhD from Northwestern and years at McKinsey leading healthcare strategy, Rosina saw something in her sister’s research that the broader world hadn’t yet grasped: a path to an objective, accessible way to diagnose concussions. She joined as CEO and helped turn science into product.¹^,²^,³

Together, the Samadani sisters made a bet: that technology born in a research lab could one day live in clinics and ERs around the country. That bet became EyeBOX, the first FDA-cleared concussion diagnostic that doesn’t require verbal input or a baseline. But their story was always bigger than just the product—it was about translating hard science into something that could actually change patient care.

Getting EyeBOX off the ground required both scientific rigor and startup muscle. In 2019, the company partnered with TitletownTech, a Green Bay Packers–Microsoft venture fund, which led an $8 million round of funding to help commercialize the product. The collaboration was a homecoming of sorts—the sisters grew up in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, and were lifelong Packers fans.⁴

“Oculogica is exactly the type of dynamic, leading-edge company we envisioned being part of TitletownTech…The Packers are proud to help create a support network in Green Bay that is attracting high-growth, scalable ventures to our region that are developing transformative solutions to industry challenges.”

Mark Murphy, Packers President and CEO

Now led by CTO Joel Sanderson, who previously built enterprise security tools before joining the healthtech space, the team at Oculogica continues to build on its mission: creating eye-tracking products that give clinicians real-time insight into brain function.

From the OR to the NFL, the Samadani sisters are changing how we think about brain injury—one eye movement at a time.

The Tech

Diagnosing a concussion has long been a frustrating process (just ask my 11 year old self). Traditional methods rely heavily on patient-reported symptoms, language-based tests, or pre-injury baseline scores. That means the accuracy of the diagnosis can vary wildly depending on age, language ability, effort level—or even the person administering the exam. The result? Missed cases, misdiagnoses, and delayed care.

EyeBOX offers a completely different approach. It’s a compact, battery-powered device—about the size of a desktop computer—that transforms a simple task, like watching a short video, into an objective neurological screening.

Here’s how it works:

After a head injury, a patient sits in front of the EyeBOX and watches a 220-second video
As they do, the system uses infrared cameras and software to track how their eyes move—moment by moment, pixel by pixel
The device collects over 100,000 data points tied to cranial nerve function and visual coordination
The algorithm analyzes those data points in real time
1. Rather than looking for just one abnormality, it evaluates a complex pattern of oculomotor behavior—such as how symmetrically the eyes move, how they track targets, and how long they pause (a phenomenon known as saccadic latency)

What makes EyeBOX unique is that it doesn’t require any baseline test, reading ability, or even verbal responses. It’s FDA-cleared for use in patients ages 5 to 67, and it’s entirely language-independent. That makes it especially helpful in pediatric, emergency, and sports medicine settings—where speed and accessibility are crucial.

When the video ends, the device generates a BOX Score—a number from 0 to 20 that indicates the likelihood of a concussion. The result is immediate, and the system provides a full report to assist clinicians in deciding next steps. According to published data, EyeBOX achieves 80.4% sensitivity and 86.3% specificity—impressive numbers for a non-invasive, four-minute test.⁵

EyeBOX also avoids one of the biggest pitfalls of traditional concussion diagnostics: the risk of manipulation. Many athletes and military personnel intentionally underperform on baseline tests, or memorize them, to avoid being benched later. Because EyeBOX doesn’t rely on pre-injury data or effort-dependent tasks, it removes that vulnerability entirely.⁶

And while it's primarily used for concussion detection, early research suggests EyeBOX can also help identify concussion-related vision disorders (CRVDs)—subtle impairments in eye coordination and focus that often go unrecognized, especially in adolescents with lingering symptoms.

Already in use across hospitals and clinics—and weighing just 12 pounds with an 8-hour battery—EyeBOX is making concussion diagnostics more accessible, objective, and actionable.

The Market

The concussion diagnostics market is undergoing a major transformation—and not a moment too soon. In 2024, the global market for concussion-related products and services was valued at $6.58 billion, and it’s projected to grow steadily at a 6.0% compound annual growth rate through 2030. That growth is driven by two converging forces: the rising incidence of head injuries and a surge in public and institutional awareness around the long-term impact of concussions.⁷

High-profile efforts like the WHO and FIFA’s “Suspect and Protect” campaign, launched in September 2024, are reinforcing a simple but urgent message: don’t ignore concussion symptoms, and don’t return to play too soon. Meanwhile, headline-grabbing data—such as the 28% lifetime concussion risk among NFL players and the over 200 concussions recorded in each of the last two pro football seasons—are pushing schools, leagues, and healthcare providers to demand better tools.

This creates a clear opportunity for technologies like Oculogica’s EyeBOX, which aim to introduce objectivity into what has long been a subjective process. Hospitals, which currently make up 39.1% of market share, are leading adopters of these tools as they seek to modernize concussion care and comply with evolving athlete safety protocols.

But Oculogica is not alone. One key competitor is NeuroSync’s Eye-Sync, another FDA-cleared platform that uses AR/VR headsets to track eye synchronization and provide visual performance metrics. Unlike EyeBOX, which passively tracks eye movements while a patient watches a video, Eye-Sync assessments require user interaction with moving visual stimuli to assess cognitive-motor synchronization.⁸

Both tools share a similar promise: using the eyes as an early indicator of brain dysfunction. But their delivery and use cases differ. EyeBOX’s passive, language-independent approach lends itself well to busy ERs, pediatrics offices, or sideline screenings where time, equipment, and cooperation may be limited.

As awareness grows and regulations tighten—especially around return-to-play decisions in youth and professional sports—the demand for quick, objective, and non-invasive diagnostic tools will only accelerate. In this climate, the companies that can demonstrate clinical accuracy, workflow integration, and scalability stand to claim a meaningful share of a fast-growing market.

Whether the future of concussion diagnostics looks more like a headset or a screen remains to be seen—but the stakes, clearly, are high.

The Sick

Concussions—classified as mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs)—affect millions of people each year in the U.S. alone, with an estimated 1.4 to 3.8 million cases annually, including those who don’t seek formal medical care. These injuries arise from a variety of causes, including motor vehicle crashes, falls, assaults, and sports-related impacts. While sports concussions often draw attention, the broader patient population suffering head trauma is vast and diverse.⁹

For patients, concussions can cause a complex array of symptoms across multiple domains. Physically, they may experience headaches, dizziness, balance problems, and visual disturbances. Cognitively, patients often report confusion, difficulty concentrating, memory issues, and a foggy mental state. Emotional and affective symptoms such as irritability and mood changes are common, along with sleep disruptions ranging from insomnia to excessive drowsiness.

Diagnosing and managing these symptoms is a challenge. The physical exam requires a detailed neurologic and ocular assessment—including testing eye movements and balance—to identify subtle but telling signs of brain dysfunction. Because concussion symptoms can be subjective and variable, diagnosis often depends heavily on patient history and clinical judgment, which can delay or complicate treatment.

This is where Oculogica’s EyeBOX technology could play a transformative role. By objectively measuring eye movements and cranial nerve function through precise tracking of subtle ocular behavior, EyeBOX provides clinicians with a quantifiable “BOX score” to aid in diagnosing concussions. Unlike traditional symptom-based exams, EyeBOX captures real-time data without needing a baseline test or relying on patient self-reporting, making it especially valuable for patients who might struggle to communicate or recall symptoms clearly.

Early and accurate identification of concussion-related vision disorders is critical, as vision problems can prolong recovery or signal more complex brain injury. EyeBOX’s ability to detect these disruptions quickly could lead to faster referrals for targeted therapies, such as vision rehabilitation or cognitive-behavioral interventions, which are emerging as promising approaches to improve outcomes.

By helping avoid missed or delayed diagnoses, EyeBOX may reduce the risk of serious complications like second-impact syndrome, a dangerous condition that occurs when a second head injury happens before the brain fully heals. With concussion recovery still poorly understood and variable, a tool that provides objective, reproducible data could dramatically improve individualized care and patient safety.

For patients navigating the confusing aftermath of head trauma, EyeBOX offers hope for clearer answers and better-managed recoveries—potentially changing the way concussions are diagnosed and treated in both emergency rooms and outpatient clinics.

The Economy

Concussions aren’t just a medical problem—they’re an economic one. I mentioned earlier concussions affect an estimated 1.7 to 3.8 million people annually in the United States. This accounts for up to 90% of all traumatic brain injuries nationwide. While most concussions don’t result in extended hospital stays, their ripple effects on productivity, healthcare costs, and long-term disability add up fast.¹⁰^,¹¹^,¹²

There are over 5 million Americans living with long-term disability from TBI (traumatic brian injury), with an annual economic burden exceeding $37.8 billion. And although severe TBIs drive up acute care costs—reaching as high as $400,000 per patient—mild TBIs collectively cost more due to their far higher incidence. Much of the economic damage is indirect: mTBIs can lead to lingering cognitive, emotional, and physical symptoms that impair work and daily life. In fact, 75% of TBI patients lose their jobs within 90 days of returning to work without proper support. Supported employment costs over $10,000 per patient, while early missed diagnoses can lead to mismanagement, delayed recovery, or avoidable complications—all of which raise the cost curve.¹³^,¹⁴^,¹⁵

This is where Oculogica’s EyeBOX technology could have significant economic impact. By enabling rapid, objective concussion diagnosis in the ER, urgent care, or even sideline settings, EyeBOX has the potential to save valuable time and resources. It can help clinicians rule in or rule out a concussion without the need for subjective reporting or a baseline test—particularly important for vulnerable patients who may be disoriented, nonverbal, or face language and cultural barriers.

Faster diagnosis means fewer unnecessary imaging studies, less time spent in overcrowded emergency departments, and more immediate access to appropriate care. When applied at scale—in hospitals, schools, military bases, and professional sports—the tool could dramatically reduce missed injuries, speed up return-to-activity decisions, and prevent second-impact injuries.

Moreover, by identifying patients with oculomotor dysfunction early, EyeBOX could unlock more timely referrals to vision training or cognitive-behavioral therapy—interventions that may support faster recovery and reintegration into the workforce.

Whether you’re looking at it through the lens of hospital operations, insurance systems, or national productivity, EyeBOX doesn’t just represent a medical advance—it represents a smarter, more cost-effective way to deal with a widespread and quietly expensive public health crisis.

My Thoughts

I love researching and writing about companies that hit close to home. Cardiology startups, for example, always remind me of my grandparents and father. But Oculogica struck an even deeper chord. As someone who’s had the misfortune of sustaining a (relatively) serious sports-related concussion, I still wish more advanced diagnostic tools had been available back then. Being diagnosed simply because I couldn’t keep my lunch down in social studies didn’t exactly scream "evidence-based medicine"—but here we are.

What makes this company even more compelling is who’s leading it. Seeing a startup founded by a neurosurgeon is rare; seeing it co-led by a neurosurgeon and her sister—a bioengineer—feels downright cinematic. Dr. Uzma Samadani and Dr. Shani Samadani are building something remarkable, and all of us at Future Human are fired up about it. If a neurosurgeon can operate, run a lab, and launch a tech company to change how we diagnose brain injuries, we can all aim a little higher.

I’ve been in touch with Dr. Samadani and look forward to releasing an even deeper dive in the months ahead. She and her team are incredibly passionate about this mission, and I’m excited to give them any platform I can.

To more lives saved,

Andrew

I always appreciate feedback, questions, and conversation. Feel free to reach out on LinkedIn @andrewkuzemczak.