Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. Cognitive impairment is a sometimes neglected, yet common, sign and symptom with a profound effect on instrumental activities of daily living. Even before diagnosis, patients may experience cognitive dysfunction that manifests through symptoms such as memory lapses or difficulty with finding the right words in conversation. The Seeker desires a tool for assessing cognitive function and tracking performance over time.
Multiple sclerosis is a demyelinating disease in which the immune system attacks the myelin sheath, a protective coating that surrounds nerve cells. Without the insulation of myelin, electrical impulses cannot be transmitted quickly or efficiently leading to symptoms such as muscle weakness, loss of balance and coordination, vision loss, and fatigue. In addition to these physical impairments, patients may also experience a decline in cognitive function. The most common test for cognitive screening in MS is the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS (BICAMS), but it is not routinely used in clinical practice as it requires trained personnel for administration and can be time consuming. Therefore, the Seeker is interested in new approaches to assess cognitive function that can be used on a periodic basis without the help of a licensed professional and ideally done reliably from home.
This is an Ideation Challenge, which has the following unique features:
- There is a guaranteed award. The award(s) will be paid to the best submission(s) as solely determined by the Seeker. The total payout will be $20,000, with at least one award being no smaller than $10,000 and no award being smaller than $2,500.
- The Solvers are not required to transfer exclusive intellectual property rights to the Seeker. Rather, by submitting a proposal, the Solver grants to the Seeker a royalty-free, perpetual, and non-exclusive license to use any information included in this proposal, including for promotional purposes.
Awards:- $20,000
Deadline:- 23-07-2021
