Cerebral Oxygenation Monitor Helmet

A research team at NC State's ASSIST Center had spent years developing a noninvasive cerebral oxygenation monitor. The monitor is a wearable device that measures brain oxygen levels through the forehead using near-infrared light. The technology worked in the lab. In high-stress environments like aircraft cockpits, where a pilot's cognitive performance depends on reliable brain oxygenation, a device that only works in the lab isn't enough.

When the research lead left NC State to start a company and license the IP, the gap between academic prototype and field-ready product became the central problem. The existing hardware wasn't designed for wearability, helmet integration, or the RF conditions of real operational environments. The firmware and wireless data infrastructure didn't exist yet. And the path forward had to be navigated within the constraints of early-stage SBIR and NSF grant funding; military evaluation was on the horizon, so there was no room for a ground-up redesign at every iteration.

The Solution

Device Solutions engaged early alongside the client and ASSIST (the NC State academic collaborator whose research underpinned the licensed IP). Working across hardware, firmware, and wireless infrastructure, the team moved the device from a research prototype to a field-ready system. The engineering scope covered each of the gaps identified at the outset:

1.) Flexible PCB Design

Developed a compact, flexible PCB engineered to conform to the shape of the human skull, enabling accurate sensor placement and the helmet integration the military evaluation required.

2.) RF & Antenna Engineering

Designed an antenna and shielding solution that kept BLE communication robust under the demanding RF conditions of aircraft cockpit environments — one of the most challenging RF contexts a wearable device can face.

3.) BLE Firmware & Software

Built the core BLE algorithms and wireless data streaming infrastructure from the ground up, optimized for low-power operation across extended wear periods.

4.) Prototype Fabrication & Testing

Managed fabrication and assembly of grant-funded prototypes through multiple iteration cycles, producing field-testable hardware at each stage.

The device is now under evaluation by the U.S. Air Force. This is the first operational test of a noninvasive, wearable cerebral oxygenation monitor in an active military aviation context.

The Results

A noninvasive cerebral oxygenation monitor that existed only as a lab prototype is now a field-ready wearable device under active evaluation by the U.S. Air Force. The hardware conforms to helmet integration requirements, BLE communication holds under cockpit RF conditions, and the system streams reliable brain oxygenation data in real operational environments.

The outcomes of the engagement include:

• Wearable prototypes developed, assembled, and validated through multiple grant-funded field testing cycles

• Flexible, lightweight form factor achieved for helmet integration and accurate sensor placement

• Real-time BLE data streaming performing reliably under demanding cockpit RF conditions

• Client supported in securing ongoing SBIR and non-dilutive funding across multiple phases

• Product positioned for dual-use deployment across both defense and clinical healthcare markets

The Summary

Technologies & Services

• Low-Power Embedded Systems & Battery Optimization

• Flexible PCB Design & Miniaturization

• Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Firmware & Software

• Antenna Design & RF Shielding

• Wearable System Integration

• Prototype Fabrication & Test Coordination

Recognition & Outcomes

• Device under active evaluation by the U.S. Air Force

• Field-ready prototypes delivered through multiple SBIR and NSF grant cycles

• Dual-use deployment path established across defense and clinical healthcare markets