# US 2014/0154651 A1 · Quantifying peak cognitive performance using graduated difficulty > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0154651 A1 - Document ID: US20140154651A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/694,462 - Filed: 2012-12-04 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-04 - Assignees: Sync-Think, Inc. - Applicants: Sync-Think, Inc. - Inventors: Matthew E. Stack - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140154651A1 ## CPC - A61B 5/163: {by tracking eye movement, gaze, or pupil change} - A61B 3/032: Devices for presenting test symbols or characters, e.g. test chart projectors (A61B3/036 takes precedence) - A61B 3/113: for determining or recording eye movement - A61B 5/16: Devices for psychotechnics (using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00); Testing reaction times {; Devices for evaluating the psychological state} - G16H 50/30: for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment - A61B 5/4088: {Diagnosing of monitoring cognitive diseases, e.g. Alzheimer, prion diseases or dementia} - A61B 5/7275: {Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA ## Abstract A method to determine the subject's peak cognitive performance using smooth pursuit tracking tests. The method utilizes instantaneous performance feedback to accurately quantify the subject's peak cognitive performance by changing the difficulty of the test in response to the subject's performance. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for quantifying peak cognitive performance comprising the steps of: utilizing smooth pursuit icon tracking to measure cognitive performance; varying the difficulty of the smooth eye performance test until the test taker can no longer track the icon; and measuring the test taker's performance with a test difficulty slightly less difficult than the test at which the test taker failed the test. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, and further including oscillating the test difficulty of the test difficulty level just below which the test taker has failed the test. ### Claim 3 In a smooth pursuit testing scenario a method for quantifying peak cognitive performance comprising the step of: increasing the difficulty of the smooth pursuit test until such time as a test subject can no longer perform the test and recording a test score corresponding to the point at which the test taker has failed the test. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the testing for quantifying peak cognitive performance is replicated at a number of different ages of a test subject. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the peak performance is registered for each of consecutive ages of the test subject and further subject including the step of calculating the decrease in cognitive performance over time to establish a decline in peak cognitive performance trend as a function of age. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, and further including the step of establishing a baseline range. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, and further including the step of determining where the peak cognitive performance trend drops below the baseline range, thereby to establish the age at which the test subject cognitive impairment is projected to set in. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein falling below the baseline range peak cognitive performance test indicates age impairment. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the cognitive impairment includes, one of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the smooth pursuit tracking scenario includes the ability of a test subject to track a moving icon. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the smooth pursuit tracking scenario includes one of mechanical tracking or eye tracking. ### Claim 12 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the metric utilized to measure cognitive performance and thus peak cognitive performance includes one of anticipatory timing, variability as to how far off target the test individual is, regularity of the smooth pursuit measurement, and predictability. ### Claim 13 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein peak cognitive performance is quantified by measuring the ability of an individual to track a moving icon. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the ability to track a moving icon includes measuring how far off the target and individuals track of the icon is. ### Claim 15 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the smooth pursuit testing scenario includes cognitive performance enhancement testing having a controllable test difficulty and determining the cognitive performance of a test subject in terms of when the test subject fails the test, obtaining a maximum difficulty threshold responsive thereto, oscillating the test difficulty below the maximum difficulty threshold, detecting peak cognitive performance during the oscillation and ascertaining any detected enhancement in cognitive performance. ### Claim 16 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the test subject is subjected to a smooth pursuit test involving a moving icon and wherein as Phase I initiation, the test proceeds in which initial matching is detected for a prescribed path of the moving icon in which test difficulty is kept constant and further including as step Phase II, ramping up the test difficulty over that associated with the Phase I until the test subject is unable to perform to establish a threshold, followed by a Phase III in which test difficulty remains unchanged to provide stasis to stabilize the cognitive ability of the test subject taker, followed by Phase IV in which the test difficulty is oscillated just below the failure threshold and further including the step of averaging the results to provide an average measurement of peak performance. ### Claim 17 A method for establishing a peak cognitive performance score using physical apparatus in establishing peak cognitive performance. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the physical apparatus includes a smooth pursuit testing unit. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the smooth pursuit testing unit includes smooth pursuit eye tracking apparatus. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the physical apparatus includes smooth pursuit mechanical tracking apparatus. ### Claim 21 A method for improving in cognitive performance comprising the steps of; performing a smooth pursuit cognitive performance test over a number of time periods; and, establishing therefrom an improvement in cognitive performance. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the smooth pursuit cognitive performance test is made using one of eye tracking apparatus or mechanical apparatus. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the peak cognitive performance is established by varying the difficulty of the smooth pursuit cognitive performance test and establishing when a test subject fails the smooth pursuit cognitive performance test. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the cognitive impairment includes, one of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the smooth pursuit tracking cognitive performance test includes the ability of a test subject to track a moving icon. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the smooth pursuit tracking cognitive performance test includes one of mechanical tracking or eye tracking. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the metric utilized to measure cognitive performance and thus peak cognitive performance includes one of anticipatory timing, variability as to how far off target the test individual is, regularity of the smooth pursuit measurement, and predictability. ### Claim 28 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein peak cognitive performance is quantified by measuring the ability of an individual to track a moving icon. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the ability to track a moving icon includes measuring how far off the target and individuals track of the icon is. ### Claim 30 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the smooth pursuit cognitive performance test includes cognitive performance enhancement testing having a controllable test difficulty and determining the cognitive performance of a test subject in terms of when the test subject fails the test, obtaining a maximum difficulty threshold responsive thereto, oscillating the test difficulty below the maximum difficulty threshold, detecting peak cognitive performance during the oscillation and ascertaining any detected enhancement in cognitive performance. ### Claim 31 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the test subject is subjected to a smooth pursuit test involving a moving icon and wherein as Phase I initiation, the test proceeds in which initial matching is detected for a prescribed path of the moving icon in which test difficulty is kept constant and further including as step Phase II, ramping up the test difficulty over that associated with the Phase I until the test subject is unable to perform to establish a threshold, followed by a Phase III in which test difficulty remains unchanged to provide stasis to stabilize the cognitive ability of the test subject taker, followed by Phase IV in which the test difficulty is oscillated just below the failure threshold and further including the step of averaging the results to provide an average measurement of peak performance. ### Claim 32 A method for establishing when after the intake of a substance a test subject has a favorable response to the intake, comprising the steps of; performing a peak cognitive performance test prior to the intake of the substance; and repeating the peak cognitive performance test after the intake to establish a favorable response by comparing the results prior to and after the intake of the substance to establish an improvement in cognitive performance. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32, wherein the peak cognitive performance test includes smooth cognitive performance testing. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The method of claim 33, wherein the peak cognitive performance test includes the use of at least one of eye tracking cognitive performance testing or mechanical cognitive performance testing. ### Claim 35 Apparatus for quantifying cognitive performance, comprising: a cognitive performance measuring device adapted to be used to measure cognitive performance of a test taker, said measuring device utilizing smooth pursuit icon tracking to measure cognitive performance in which cognitive performance of said test taker is measured by one of anticipatory timing, variability as to how far off target the test taker is, regularity of the smooth pursuit measurement and predictability, said measuring device including a manual icon tracking device. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The apparatus of claim 35, wherein said manual icon tracking device includes a tablet on which is presented a moving icon that executes a smooth pursuit path. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the response of said test taker to the movement of the icon is recorded by sensing the position of the finger of said test taker on said tablet as said test taker seeks to move his finger to correspond to the position of said moving icon.