Concussion robot will be in use at NAU-UA game
Aug 30, 2013, 10:02 AM | Updated: 12:02 pm
PHOENIX — A robot will be checking athletes for concussions this football season at Northern Arizona University.
According to the Arizona Daily Sun, the robot will make its debut Friday when NAU visits the University of Arizona.
The robot will allow Mayo Clinic doctors and neurologists in Phoenix to analyze potential concussion victims remotely and consult with other people on the sideline.
“Athletes at professional and collegiate levels have lobbied for access to neurologic expertise on the sideline. As we seek new and innovative ways to provide the highest level of concussion care and expertise, we hope that teleconcussion can meet this need and give athletes at all levels immediate access to concussion experts,” said Bert Vargas, M.D., a neurologist at Mayo Clinic who is heading up the research.
A study will determine if the robot is as accurate as a face-to-face diagnosis for concussions.