Separate Signal from Noise

quantifying the connection
between mind and body

D-Prime LLC is a research and development company creating new insights and capabilities to improve human health and performance.

What We Do

  • Analyze large datasets and publish manuscripts in psychophysiology, neuroscience, biomedical engineering and related areas
  • Develop real-time control algorithms for real-time human-system interactions
  • Develop prototype human-in-the-loop systems for medical and performance optimization
  • Perform individualized psychosomatic assessments
  • Quantify human percepts and emotions to optimize communication strategies

Core Competencies

Our solutions solve complex and complicated problems in three main practice areas:

Comprehensive Biosignal & Behavior Research

Our team uses best practices in signal processing, statistical modeling, and machine learning to analyze complex datasets with all varieties of biosignals (e.g., EEG, ECG, EMG, PPG, eye-tracking) and real-world behaviors.

Human in the Loop System Development

By combining our expertise in human signal analysis and systems engineering, we develop software and device prototypes that close the loop between humans and multiple types of complex systems.

Individualized Psychophysiologic Assessments

Our assessments determine the strengths and weaknesses between mind and body. These insights can be incorporated into training/development programs to optimize individual performance in athletics, business, and other forms of competition.

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Biosignal & Behavioral Research

By combining basic approaches from traditional data statistical modelling with the latest innovations in machine learning, our team extracts meaningful relationships in complex datasets.

  • Computer vision to track facial micro-expressions and perform eye tracking
  • Analysis of telemetry data from wearable sensors (e.g. smartwatches) and laboratory/hospital grade devices  
  • Kinematic sensors to track body movement, reaction time
  • Performance analysis in complex virtual environments, simulations, and video games

Human in the Loop System Development

Our embedded system, algorithm development, and artificial intelligence experience enables us to design and prototype novel systems that are controlled by human state.

  • Eye-brain interfaces with autonomous assets (see example projects below)
  • Human-robot interaction
  • Closed-loop ventilators and medication administration
  • Biofeedback systems to improve stress responses

Psychophysiologic Analysis

Our assessment panels determine how hard your body is working to maintain cognitive performance.  This analysis provides insights into the resilience, strength, and character of the link between mind and body which can be used to improve cognitive performance under multiple demands, e.g. stress, fatigue, and many others.  

  • Our individualized assessments examine various dimensions of cognitive performance and how that affects and is affected by physiology (as measured by wearable sensors)
  • Understanding how an audience is perceiving and processing presentations can provide enormous insights to more effectively engineer your communications

ABOUT US

The concept of d’ (d-prime) comes from signal detection theory and represents the separation between signal and noise. Our company was founded on this principle. We use an array of signal processing techniques, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML), and years of experience to identify important patterns in data.

Our team comprises multidisciplinary data scientists, psychophysiologists, and engineers. Together, we have developed robust solutions that span from real-time, deployable control systems to healthcare utilization forecasting tools. We are open to all challenges, with primary experience in healthcare, defense, and scientific applications.

Our Process

D-Prime enables its customers to create new knowledge products (e.g.,peer-reviewed manuscripts, technical reports), acquire funding, test novel ideas, understand their personnel, improve communication, and develop new technologies that augment human health and performance.

Requirements & Rapid Prototyping

Typically accomplished within a few meetings to ensure a clear understanding of requirements and provide a wireframe/outline of our proposed approach.

DEVELOPMENT & ANALYSIS SPRINTS

Depending on the scope, we organize development into regular and frequent sprints. This may include data cleaning/processing, and code development. This allows us to organize tasks and deliverables.

UNIT AND QUALITY ASSURANCE TESTING

Small teams are tasked with specific deliverables, and each is required to do their own internal testing before review. Once approved, code/results are inserted into a permanent source control repository.

CONTINUOUS CLIENT REVIEW

After completing out internal control processes, we continuously review our projects with the client to ensure timely accomplishment of our objectives.

Service OFFERINGS

Individualized psychophysiologic Analysis

We provide comprehensive assessments of physiological and psychological profiles that underlie performance.   These assessments highlight functional areas of strengths and weaknesses that can be translated into performance optimization at multiple levels.

Example Projects

Real-time Cognitive resource monitoring

Our team analyzed an existing experimental dataset containing physiologic and behavioral data to develop a real-time model of cognitive resource depletion. The initial model was developed on data using laboratory-based (dual-task) experimental conditions.

The model was then validated with multiple independent datasets in real-world conditions. In this project, we took an existing dataset, performed comprehensive characterization and analysis of the data, developed hypotheses, and performed an exhaustive validation of the model using additional, external datasets.

enabling seamless human-agent teaming

D-Prime developed a closed loop system to integrate human operators and autonomous aerial assets as a collaborative team. In this work, we developed two algorithms that work in concert:  1) A model using real-time sensor data (accelerometry, ECG, eye-tracking) determined the current activity of the human in the system; 2) A latching control system that automatically engages autopilot of the aerial asset. 

Our system enabled human operators to engage in other tasks without manual intervention thereby improving crew engagement reaction time by 83% and combat effectiveness by 400%.  

publically available papers

Additional reports are available through the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC).  Contact us for more information.

Predicting Rapid Shifts in Cognitive Resource Allocation**

In this manuscript, our team developed a model of cognitive resource depletion.  The model was applied to several datasets with excellent performance.

**Best Conference Paper Award

Published by: The Fifteenth International Conference on Advances in Computer-Human Interactions

A physiological and dynamical systems model of stress

Driven by theorteical considerations of dynamical systems we investigate the relationship between mind and body in a mathematical framework.

 

Published by: International Journal of Psychophysiology

Our Partners