Aural Analytics and HitCheck Partner to Use Clinical-Grade Speech Analytics to Measure Athletes’ Brain Health After Taking a Hit on the Field

The future of concussion protocol: real-time app-based concussion assessment helps in game time concussion decisions

PHOENIX–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#AuralAnalytics—Aural Analytics, Inc., a leader in clinical-grade speech analytics, today announced a partnership with HitCheck to solve in-game concussion protocol decision-making. HitCheck’s cognitive assessment application tracks individuals’ unique performance over time and screens for sudden changes after a potential brain injury has occurred. Aural Analytics’ clinical-grade speech analytics are now embedded into HitCheck’s app, enriching the assessments that coaches, athletes, medical personnel and others rely on to assess an athlete’s ability to return to play.

“There is a distinct link between brain injury and changes in speech and language that can be quickly and easily measured using Aural Analytics speech vitals technology,” said Judy Smythe, CEO of Aural Analytics. “Human speech relies on the coordination of complex neural activity, including cognitive and motor functions. A concussion or brain injury can cause damage to the underlying system, which becomes apparent in one’s speech. We are particularly proud to partner with HitCheck to bring this to thousands of athletes and health care providers who assess and treat concussion.”

The partnership provides the addition of a speech assessment, which takes the athlete less than two minutes to complete. The speech sample is completed inside HitCheck’s interactive, game-like assessment, which is built for everyday use by teams of all sizes, ages, and levels. An athlete’s post injury test results are compared against their personal baseline assessment, which they complete at the start of each season to record their norms. The tests within the app measure specific aspects of brain performance, such as coordination, memory, and reaction time. HitCheck’s technology takes the guesswork out of brain injury decisions on the sideline, and it now benefits from the strength of voice biomarkers, which are highly sensitive and accurate in measuring conditions like concussion.

“Our focus is on the safety of the athletes, and the addition of Aural Analytics can enhance the accuracy of our assessments,” said Mike Piha, CEO of HitCheck. “This clinical-grade speech analytics ensures we are offering the most comprehensive diagnostic tool in the commercial market to ensure athlete safety both on and off the field.”

HitCheck’s app brings clarity to concussion protocol and satisfies concussion protocol requirements. The app empowers teams to manage, track, and document the entire protocol process from start to finish. Pre-season baseline testing, sideline assessments, progress tracking, monitoring of individual players, sharing assessment results with medical personnel, and benching players until they have met the team’s requirements to return to play are functions and features that are available in the easy-to-use iOS or Android app.

“I have seen firsthand the damage than can be done to players that are taking too many hits on the field,” said Junior Bryant, former defensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers. “With all the recent conversation around concussion, it is important that we improve the way concussions are assessed on the sideline.”

For information regarding enrollment in HitCheck’s cognitive assessment app with the added benefit of clinical-grade speech analytics from Aural Analytics, please visit HitCheck.com or email info@hitcheck.com.

About Aural Analytics, Inc.

Aural Analytics is the industry’s leading speech neuroscience company harnessing the clinical utility of the world’s speech across the age range and around the world. Their suite of applications and embeddable SDKs and APIs are available in more than 25 languages across Android, iOS, and the web and are easy to use, secure, and provide robust, clinically relevant, interpretable, and validated metrics reflecting the neurological and respiratory health of its users. For more information, please visit auralanalytics.com or follow Aural Analytics on Twitter, LinkedIn, Medium, and Facebook.

About HitCheck

Drawing on decades of medical research, HitCheck takes standardized cognitive testing methods and translates them into short, simple mobile assessment tests that users can take immediately whenever and wherever a head injury is suspected. Each test measures a specific aspect of brain performance, such as coordination, memory, reaction time, etc. Once the test is complete, the technology captures important data, records and compares objective, quantitative results from prior performance, and highlights changes in brain functions that may require medical attention. HitCheck currently serves 200,000+ users with customers in four countries including partnerships with the NFL Alumni Association and Baylor Scott & White Health. For more information on HitCheck visit: https://www.hitcheck.com/ or info@hitcheck.com.

Contacts

Paulo Acuña

310.824.9000

pacuna@olmsteadwilliams.com