SeeMe: automated facial and hand tracking to reveal hidden responses after traumatic brain injury

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

SeeMe is a multimodal computer-vision platform that uses vector analysis, cross-correlation, and deep neural networks to track facial pores and hand landmarks with sub-millimeter precision and high temporal resolution. The system applies bidirectional LSTM classification to heatmaps of movement to distinguish command-evoked voluntary responses from noise. The prospective interventional protocol will enroll 60–80 adults with acute severe TBI plus healthy controls and pharmacologically paralyzed subjects to validate sensitivity and specificity. Study endpoints compare SeeMe detections with standard bedside scales (GCS, CRS-R) to quantify missed low-amplitude motor responses.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Group 1: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Cohort

Inclusion Criteria:

* Adults (22+) with a history of acute traumatic brain injury
* Documented loss of consciousness with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score less than or equal to 8 upon hospitalization
* Clinically stable as determined by the primary neurosurgery or ICU team
* Intact auditory pathways as confirmed by BAERs
* Family consent for study participation

Exclusion Criteria:

* Hearing Impairment confirmed via absence of Brainstem Auditory Evoked Responses (BAERs) that would prevent the patient from hearing the auditory commands
* No legal authorized representative (LAR) available to provide informed consent for the patients in a comatose state
* Any other medical condition that, in the judgment of the investigator, makes participation in the study unsafe.
* Pregnant women
* Any previous history of traumatic brain injury
* Any neurodegenerative disease such as dementia

Group 2: Healthy Control Cohort

Inclusion Criteria:

* Adults 22+ with no history of neurological or psychiatric disorders
* Normal baseline neurological examination
* Intact auditory pathways
* Ability to provide informed consent
* Ability to follow simple auditory commands in English

Exclusion Criteria:

* Hearing Impairment that would prevent the participant from hearing the auditory commands
* Any previous history of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI)
* Any neurodegenerative disease (e.g., dementia)
* Any motor impairment (e.g., facial palsy, carpal tunnel syndrome) that would interfere with facial or hand movement tracking
* Any other medical condition that, in the judgment of the investigator, makes participation in the study unsafe
* Pregnant women

Group 3: Sedated/Anesthetized Cohort

Inclusion Criteria:

* Adults (22+) undergoing elective spine surgery
* Requirement of general anesthesia and pharmacological paralysis (neuromuscular blockade) as part of the standard surgical procedure
* Clinically stable for study procedures as determined by the anesthesia and surgical teams.
* Intact auditory pathways
* Ability to provide informed pre-operative consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* Hearing Impairment that would prevent the patient from hearing the auditory commands
* Any previous history of severe traumatic brain injury
* Any neurodegenerative disease such as dementia
* Significant baseline facial or hand motor deficits prior to the administration of anesthesia
* Any other medical condition that, in the judgment of the investigator, makes participation in the study unsafe
* Pregnant women

Where it's running

• Stony Brook University Hospital
  Stony Brook, New York, United States Recruiting

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Sima Mofakham, PhD
• Email: sima.mofakham@stonybrookmedicine.edu
• Phone: 631-444-1278

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.