In a study published in Nature Communications Medicine, researchers from Stony Brook University describe how SeeMe uses high-resolution video and computer vision to detect subtle involuntary facial movements responding to verbal commands — movements too fine for clinicians to observe unaided.
In a cohort of 37 patients with acute brain injury and coma, SeeMe consistently identified purposeful movements up to four days earlier than standard clinical exams. Those early detections were significantly associated with improved functional outcomes and a higher chance of regaining consciousness by discharge.
The findings address the diagnostic gap known as cognitive motor dissociation (CMD), where patients may retain awareness but are unable to physically act in detectable ways. Up to 15–25 % of ICU patients labelled as “unresponsive” may fall into this category. SeeMe is non-invasive, low cost, and scalable, requiring only a camera and software, making it suitable even for resource-limited settings.
As the team moves toward larger clinical trials and possible regulatory adoption, they hope to integrate SeeMe with EEG and other monitoring systems to form a multimodal consciousness assessment platform. Ethical implications are also emphasised: misdiagnosing consciousness—or its absence—can lead to premature withdrawal of care or missed therapeutic opportunities.
This technological advance could transform the clinical approach to brain injury, offering more precise prognoses and tailored rehabilitation strategies.
This news item has been summarised using AI and checked by humans before publication.
Sign up to the ACNR email newsletter here: https://acnr.co.uk/about-acnr/email-signup/
Sign up for our online community for neurology specialists: https://acnr.co.uk/acnr-online-community-signup/
