Cleveland Clinic Secures $3.4M Grant for AR System Revolutionizing Concussion Recovery

Cleveland Clinic researchers have secured a $3.4 million grant from the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs to propel the development of Troop READY, an augmented reality-based system designed to assess the readiness of military personnel recovering from concussions. By integrating Microsoft HoloLens 2 technology with a simulated M4 carbine, the system immerses users in realistic scenarios, using machine learning to evaluate cognitive and physical performance. This portable innovation seeks to replace subjective self-reports with objective, data-driven insights, offering a transformative approach to mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) recovery in military settings and beyond.

Rethinking Recovery: How Augmented Reality Could Reshape Concussion Care

For decades, the treatment and recovery of mild traumatic brain injuries—a condition affecting over 80% of Service Members diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries from 2000 to 2024—have relied heavily on subjective self-assessments. These self-reports, while valuable, are often fraught with inconsistencies, particularly in high-stakes environments like the military, where the pressure to resume duty can overshadow lingering symptoms. Enter Troop READY: a groundbreaking augmented reality system that seeks to bridge the gap between subjective symptom tracking and objective performance evaluation.

The system, spearheaded by Dr. Jay Alberts and his team at the Cleveland Clinic, combines cutting-edge technology with a practical, user-focused design. At its core is the Microsoft HoloLens 2, a mixed-reality headset that overlays digital elements onto the real world. Paired with a simulated M4 carbine, the system immerses users in complex, combat-like scenarios that challenge their cognitive and physical faculties. From navigating high-pressure decision-making tasks to simulating battlefield maneuvers, Troop READY captures a comprehensive snapshot of a Warfighter’s readiness to return to duty.

What sets this system apart is its reliance on machine learning algorithms to analyze performance data. Unlike traditional methods that hinge on subjective symptom checklists, Troop READY evaluates reaction times, accuracy, and other measurable indicators, providing a data-rich foundation for recovery decisions. This not only enhances diagnostic precision but also opens the door to personalized treatment plans tailored to the unique needs of each Service Member.

The recent $3.4 million grant will enable researchers to refine Troop READY’s diagnostic capabilities further. Central to this effort is a series of usability studies and baseline data collection initiatives, ensuring the system is both effective and intuitive for its target users. The portability of Troop READY is another key advantage. Unlike fixed-location systems such as the Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment Laboratory, this AR-based tool can be deployed in diverse settings, from military bases to field hospitals. This flexibility broadens its potential applications, extending beyond the military to other high-risk environments like professional sports and law enforcement.

However, the path to implementation is not without hurdles. Before Troop READY can be deployed on a wide scale, it must secure approvals from both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Defense. These regulatory milestones are critical, as they will validate the system’s safety, efficacy, and reliability. Yet, the promise of Troop READY has already sparked conversations about how technology can redefine not just military medicine but also broader approaches to concussion care.

The implications of this innovation extend far beyond the battlefield. In professional sports, where concussions are an ever-present risk, Troop READY’s objective metrics could offer a much-needed alternative to the controversial “return-to-play” protocols currently in use. Similarly, in law enforcement, where quick decision-making under pressure is paramount, the system could serve as a training and assessment tool, ensuring officers are both physically and mentally prepared for duty.

Yet, the broader impact of Troop READY lies in its potential to shift the cultural narrative around mTBI recovery. By prioritizing objective data over subjective self-reports, the system challenges the stigma often associated with lingering symptoms, particularly in environments that prize toughness and resilience. It acknowledges that recovery is not a one-size-fits-all process and that returning to duty—or to any high-stakes role—requires more than just the absence of symptoms. It requires readiness, in every sense of the word.

As the Cleveland Clinic team embarks on this next phase of development, the stakes are high. The success of Troop READY could mark a turning point not only for military medicine but also for the broader field of concussion care. It’s a bold vision, one that combines the precision of technology with the complexity of human recovery. And while challenges undoubtedly remain, the promise of a more accurate, portable, and personalized approach to mTBI assessment is one worth pursuing.

In a world increasingly defined by technological innovation, Troop READY serves as a reminder that the true measure of progress lies not in the tools we create but in the lives they improve. Whether on the battlefield, the playing field, or the streets, this augmented reality system has the potential to redefine what it means to be ready—physically, cognitively, and beyond.