Research Milestones

SynapSense originated from a recognition of a persistent gap in pain research: the absence of objective, continuous neural biomarkers capable of complementing subjective pain assessment. Early work focused on literature review, feasibility analysis, and identification of appropriate neural targets and measurement modalities.

• Existing pain measurement frameworks were evaluated
• EEG was identified as a viable modality based on temporal resolution and accessibility
• The primary somatosensory cortex was selected as a biologically grounded region of interest
• Initial hypotheses were developed regarding oscillatory and network-level pain signatures

This phase established the scientific rationale and scope boundaries that continue to guide the project.

To protect novel system design and analytical approaches, SynapSense filed a provisional patent covering methods for non-invasive neural biomarker quantification of pain.

• Provisional patent filed and currently pending
• Scope focused on system architecture and signal-based pain representation
• Intellectual property strategy aligned with research-first validation

This step formalized the novelty of the approach while allowing continued academic research and dissemination.

SynapSense Technologies LLC was formally established to support research operations, partnerships, and program participation.

• Legal formation as a limited liability company
• Establishment of governance and compliance structure
• Separation of research activities from personal or academic assets

This structure enables responsible collaboration with institutions, accelerators, and funding entities.

SynapSense established research activities within The University of Texas at Austin, leveraging academic infrastructure, mentorship, and ethical oversight.

• Research conducted within UT Austin facilities
• Collaboration with the Lu Research Group
• Collaboration with the Wang Lab
• Access to institutional IRB processes and data security standards

These collaborations ensure methodological rigor and alignment with established neuroscience research practices.

A comprehensive human-subject research protocol was developed and approved under Institutional Review Board oversight.

• Detailed risk assessment and mitigation strategies
• Informed consent documentation
• Participant recruitment and screening procedures
• Data security and de-identification plans
• Emergency and safety protocols for experimental pain tasks

IRB approval marked the transition from conceptual research to ethically governed human studies.

Following IRB approval, SynapSense initiated an active pilot study designed to evaluate feasibility, signal quality, and preliminary validity.

• Adult participants, including chronic pain and control cohorts
• Single-session laboratory protocol (90–120 minutes)
• Continuous EEG recording during baseline, pain, and recovery phases
• Repeated subjective pain labeling
• Post-session qualitative feedback

The pilot study is ongoing, with data actively being collected and analyzed.

Pilot data collection has enabled:

• Evaluation of EEG signal quality across tasks
• Identification of recurring artifact patterns
• Preliminary assessment of feature stability
• Early exploration of neural–behavioral correlations

These findings directly inform ongoing refinements to preprocessing pipelines, feature selection, and experimental procedures.

SynapSense has received external recognition through selective research and innovation programs.

• Finalist, AAPM "Hacking Pain" competition
• Acceptance into the Nucleate Activator (Spring 2026)
• Acceptance into the Kendra Scott Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute Founder Program (Spring 2026)

These programs provide structured mentorship, peer review, and validation from experts in neuroscience, medicine, and entrepreneurship.

SynapSense has initiated formal dissemination of research activities.

• Abstract submission to the University of Texas Undergraduate Research Forum
• Preparation of conference-ready materials
• Planning for peer-reviewed publication following further validation

Dissemination efforts prioritize accuracy, transparency, and appropriate contextualization of findings.