At-home eye-tracking and heart-monitoring to track infant attention and memory
Integrating eye-tracking and ECG methodologies for remote infant neurocognitive assessments in the home
This project uses home eye-tracking and wearable heart monitors with babies at 4, 8, and 12 months to learn about early attention, memory, caregiver-infant regulation, and signals linked to autism.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11143129 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will send simple eye-tracking and heart-monitoring equipment and guide you to collect data while your baby does brief tasks at home when they are about 4, 8, and 12 months old. The study will follow 300 families over time to combine behavioral and physiological signals of infant attention and memory. Investigators will also look at how caregiver and infant heart activity align during interactions and whether those patterns relate to later social and emotional development. The goal is to improve measurements that can reduce barriers for families and help identify early markers tied to autism risk.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are families with infants around 4 months old who can take part in follow-up visits at 8 and 12 months and are willing to use mailed home equipment and share data.
Not a fit: This would not benefit older children or families without reliable internet, a mailing address, or the ability to operate simple home devices.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could make early detection of attention and memory differences easier and more accessible, helping families get earlier, more personalized support.
How similar studies have performed: Previous remote eye-tracking or wearable-heart-monitor studies in infants have shown promise, but combining both methods in a large longitudinal sample is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- New York University — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dikker, Suzanne — New York University
- Study coordinator: Dikker, Suzanne
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.