ClearSky Medical Diagnostics is a UK-based medical technology company specializing in the development of diagnostic and monitoring devices for neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.
ClearSky's flagship product is CleverScan, a portable neuroimaging device that uses near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to detect changes in brain activity. The device is designed for use in clinical settings and at home.
How NIRS Works:
Applications in Neurodegeneration:
The company has developed specialized monitoring solutions for Parkinson's disease that track motor symptoms and disease progression through wearable sensors and AI-powered analysis.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Tremor detection | Accelerometer-based quantification |
| Bradykinesia assessment | Movement speed and amplitude analysis |
| Gait analysis | Step timing, stride length, variability |
| Home monitoring | Continuous data collection |
Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has demonstrated utility in Parkinson's disease research[1]:
| Modality | Cost | Portability | Spatial Resolution | Temporal Resolution | Clinical Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| fMRI | $$$ | Fixed | High (mm) | Low (sec) | Research/Clinical |
| PET | $$$ | Fixed | High | Low | Clinical |
| CT | $$ | Fixed | Medium | Low | Clinical |
| EEG | $ | Portable | Low | High | Clinical |
| NIRS | $$ | Portable | Medium | Medium | Emerging |
NIRS technology offers several advantages for PD diagnosis and monitoring:
| Current Tool | Limitation | NIRS Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| UPDRS | Subjective | Objective measurement |
| DaTscan | Invasive, expensive | Non-invasive, portable |
| Wearables | Limited brain data | Cortical activation |
ClearSky operates in the growing neurotechnology diagnostics market:
Near-infrared spectroscopy for Parkinson's disease monitoring. J Parkinsons Dis. 2023. ↩︎
Functional near-infrared spectroscopy in Parkinson's disease. Mov Disord. 2022. ↩︎