Neuroscience company SyncThink, which has developed eye-tracking tools in mixed realities to aid in athletic training and recovery, has added former MLS star and ESPN analyst Taylor Twellman to its advisory board.
The company said it hopes to leverage Twellman’s experience in soccer to improve safety in the non-helmeted sport. SyncThink’s technology has been used to help athletes recover from concussions. The company recently expanded into athletic training as well, forming a partnership with Magic Leap.
In his role on the advisory board, Twellman will work closely with the company to refine the utility of SyncThink’s proprietary eye-tracking technology, known as Eye-Sync, and forge relationships with the global soccer community.
Twellman spent a decade playing professional soccer with the MLS. Most of his career was spent with the New England Revolution (2002-2009), during which he led the league by goals scored and was named the 2005 MVP. He also played on the U.S. Men’s National Team.
Important for me to continue to press the issue of concussion recognition & rehabilitation and @SyncThinkInc technology is asking the right questions to find the answers. @ThinkTaylorORG https://t.co/d1b5MEF3tN
— Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) January 22, 2019
This topic of head injury is particularly pertinent Twellman, as he was forced to retire from professional soccer after sustaining a concussion and neck injury in 2010. He has lead sports-related concussion awareness through this foundation, THINK Taylor.
“I am excited to join the team at SyncThink,” Twellman said, in a statement. “I believe the EYE-SYNC technology is a game changer, and I want to do everything I can to ensure it finds it way into the hands of our sport, from the professional ranks all the way down to the millions of youth soccer players in the US. I have no doubt it will make our sport safer.”
EYE-SYNC is an FDA-approved virtual reality technology that captures eye movements to detect visual impairments. SyncThink’s devices are based on modified versions of existing VR headsets. The company, which counts the NBA’s Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks among its clients, uses data gleaned from eye exercises to provide insights into brain health and performance.
“When you first meet Taylor, his passion and enthusiasm for soccer and the many young athletes playing it just jumps out at you,” said SyncThink CCO Scott Anderson. “Soccer is the most widely played sport in the US with over twenty four million players, and he is determined to make it the safest sport in the world.”