Cognitive Augmentation Via Multimodal Sensing and Auricular Neurostimulation

Completed · Not applicable · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Healthy, Cognitive Change, Effects of External Neurostimulation on Cognition

In brief

The goal of this clinical trial is to extend this period of optimal cognitive performance by applying neurostimulation to buffer health volunteers against the effects of increased levels of stress, distraction, and cybersickness. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Can we use OpenBCI's head-mounted Galea biosensor + eXtended Reality (XR) platform to measure participants' cognitive state in relation to stress, attention and cybersickness? * How does applying external neurostimulation via Spark Biomedical's Sparrow Link transcutaneous auricular neurostimulation (tAN) system enhance cognitive performance with a closed-loop interface that automatically applies neurostimulation as a function of physiologically determined stress, attention, and cybersickness metrics? Researchers will compare the active neurostimulation group to the sham neurostimulation group to see if cognitive performance is improved with stimulation. Participants will complete 4 virtual reality tasks in the lab: * 2 tasks related to attention - Flanker and Gradual-onset Continual Performance Task (GradCPT) * The Multi-Attribute Task Battery (MATB) * A cybersickness task * And a baseline session before each task * Neurostimulation intervention will occur in response to cognitive states

Key facts

Study ID: NCT06782360
Run by: OpenBCI
People needed: 45
Starts: 2025-04-30
Expected to finish: 2026-03-15
Last updated by the study team: 2026-04-06

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

Healthy human subjects between the ages of 18 and 55
Normal color vision and near visual acuity of 20/30 without correction.
Participant is right-hand dominant
Proficient in the English language
Ability to understand the explanations and instructions given by the study personnel

You may not qualify if…

Participant presents current evidence of an uncontrolled and/or clinically significant medical condition or psychiatric condition
Participant is participating in another interventional trial within 90 days prior to or throughout duration of trial
Participant has a prior diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder, acute stress disorder, or generalized anxiety disorder
Participant has a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and/or is currently taking medications for the treatment of ADHD.
Current or recent history of substance abuse or drug dependence including nicotine and alcohol, or use of mind-altering drugs in the past 30 days.
Participant has abnormal ear anatomy, ear infection present, or ear piercing that could interfere with stimulation
Participant has a recent history of epileptic seizures; including photosensitive epilepsy
Participant has a recent history of neurologic diseases or traumatic brain injury
Participant has presence of implanted medical devices (e.g., pacemakers, cochlear prostheses, neurostimulators)
Females who are pregnant or lactating
Participant has any other significant disease or disorder which, in the opinion of the Investigator, may either put the participants are risk because of participation in the trial, or may influence the result of the trial, or the participant's ability to participate in the trial
Sensitivity to bright screens or virtual reality displays
Recent history of neurological and psychiatric disease/disorder

Where it is running

OpenBCI — Brooklyn, New York, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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