Harvard Students Won Award for Concussion Headset

A student team developed an infrared device to simplify sideline concussion screenings.

Updated on Sept. 19, 2026 in Youth

Bold vector editorial illustration of a futuristic medical infrared headset with clean, outlined geometric forms and a teal and coral palette. — A Harvard student team won the 2026 US James Dyson Award for their infrared headset prototype, which provides objective concussion screening for athletes on the field. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Does new concussion-screening technology increase your trust in the safety of youth sports programs?

Three Harvard students have created an infrared headset that screens athletes for potential concussions in just 60 seconds. The project earned the team the 2026 US James Dyson Award and a $6,500 prize.

Why it matters

Sideline concussion assessments currently rely on subjective symptom reporting, which can be unreliable. This new technology aims to bring objective, clinical-grade eye-tracking data directly to the playing field.

The infrared device provides a 60-second screen for athletes, outperforming traditional assessment methods. It utilizes a $6,500 prize from the James Dyson Award to fund further development.

The players

Harvard University

This is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge where the student team developed their concussion-screening technology.

James Dyson Award

This international design competition challenges students and recent graduates to solve real-world problems through innovative engineering.

The details

The headset uses infrared cameras and hot mirrors to capture oculomotor data as athletes follow and fixate on targets. It features a coach-facing display and a recovery dashboard, though it currently serves only as a screening tool rather than a formal diagnostic system.

September 19, 2026: Article publication date.
October 2026: International Top 20 shortlist announcement.
November 2026: Global James Dyson Award winners chosen.

Culture Shift

This project aligns with the broader trend of university-led innovation leveraging the James Dyson Award to bridge the gap between academic research and public health application. It reflects a shift toward integrating specialized medical diagnostics into non-clinical, youth-oriented environments.

This technology could eventually provide Cambridge coaches and trainers with a faster, objective tool for identifying potential brain injuries on the sidelines. It represents a potential improvement in how student athletes monitor their recovery progress after a contact sports incident.

The takeaway

The team plans to refine their oculomotor test and develop a higher-fidelity prototype to move toward formal medical-device validation. Their work highlights the potential for portable technology to improve safety monitoring in school-level athletic programs.

What happens next

The student team will compete for a position on the international Top 20 shortlist in October 2026, followed by the selection of global James Dyson Award winners in November 2026.