Non-invasive human neurocognitive performance capability testing method and system

Claim 1

A method to determine the mental performance capacity of a human subject to perform a work assignment, including the steps of: (a) testing the subject in a test of performance of a task, while the subject is sober, alert and healthy, to obtain a normative test score for the subject and recording said normative test score; (b) simultaneously with (a) detecting and analyzing the brain waves of the subject with an EEG (electroencephalograph) device having a plurality of electrodes removably connected to the scalp of the subject to determine a normative neurocognitive capacity score for the subject which is the normal neurocognitive capacity utilized by the subject to obtain the normative test score, and recording the normative neurocognitive capacity score; and subsequently (c) testing the subject in a test of performance of a task to obtain a test score and comparing the test score with the normative test score; (d) simultaneously with (c) detecting and analyzing the brain waves of the subject with an EEG (electroencephalograph) device having a plurality of electrodes removably connected to the scalp of the subject to determine the neurocognitive capacity the subject used to pass the test of (c), and comparing said neurocognitive capacity used by the subject with the normative neurocognitive capacity score; and (e) rejecting the subject so that the subject does not perform the work assignment if the subject's test score of (c) is a predetermined passing score below the normative test score or if the subject's test score of (c) is above said passing score but the subject requires excessive neurocognitive capacity as determined in (d) to obtain the passing score.

Claim 2

A method to determine the mental performance capacity of a human subject to perform a work assignment, including the steps of: (a) testing the subject in a test of performance of a task, while the subject is sober, alert and healthy, to obtain a normative test score for the subject and recording said normative test score; (b) simultaneously with (a) detecting and analyzing the brain waves of the subject with an EEG (electroencephalograph) device having a plurality of electrodes removably connected to the scalp of the subject to determine a normative neurocognitive capacity score for the subject which is the normal neurocognitive capacity utilized by the subject to obtain the normative test score, and recording the normative neurocognitive capacity score; and subsequently (c) testing the subject in a test of performance of a task to obtain a test score and comparing the test score with the normative test score; (d) simultaneously with (c) detecting and analyzing the brain waves of the subject with an EEG (electroencephalograph) device having a plurality of electrodes removably connected to the scalp of the subject to determine the neurocognitive capacity the subject used to pass the test of (c), and comparing said neurocognitive capacity used by the subject with the normative neurocognitive capacity score; and (e) rejecting the subject so that the subject does not perform the work assignment if the subject's test score of (c) is a predetermined passing score below the normative test score or if the subject's test score of (c) is above said passing score but the subject requires excessive neurocognitive capacity as determined in (d) to obtain the passing score.

Claim 8

A method to determine the mental capacity of a human subject to perform a work assignment, including the steps of: (a) testing the subject in a test of performance of a task, while the subject is sober, alert and healthy, to obtain a normative test score for the subject and recording said normative test score; (b) simultaneously with (a) detecting and analyzing at least one physiological function of the subject with a physiological monitoring device to determine a normative neurocognitive capacity score for the subject which is the normal neurocognitive capacity utilized by the subject to obtain the normative test score, and recording the normative neurocognitive capacity score; and subsequently (c) testing the subject in a test of performance of a task to obtain a test score and comparing the test score with the normative test score; (d) simultaneously with (c) detecting and analyzing said physiological function of the subject with a physiological monitoring device to determine the neurocognitive capacity the subject used to pass the test of (c), and comparing said neurocognitive capacity used by the subject with the normative neurocognitive capacity score; and (e) rejecting the subject so that the subject does not perform the work assignment if the subject's test score of (c) is a predetermined passing score below the normative test score or if the subject's test score of (c) is above said passing score but the subject requires excessive neurocognitive capacity as determined in (d) to obtain the passing score.

Claim 9

A method to determine the mental capacity of a human subject to perform a work assignment, including the steps of: (a) testing the subject in a test of performance of a task, while the subject is sober, alert and healthy, to obtain a normative test score for the subject and recording said normative test score; (b) simultaneously with (a) detecting and analyzing at least one physiological function of the subject with a physiological monitoring device to determine a normative neurocognitive capacity score for the subject which is the normal neurocognitive capacity utilized by the subject to obtain the normative test score, and recording the normative neurocognitive capacity score; and subsequently (c) testing the subject in a test of performance of a task to obtain a test score and comparing the test score with the normative test score; (d) simultaneously with (c) detecting and analyzing said physiological function of the subject with a physiological monitoring device to determine the neurocognitive capacity the subject used to pass the test of (c), and comparing said neurocognitive capacity used by the subject with the normative neurocognitive capacity score; and (e) rejecting the subject so that the subject does not perform the work assignment if the subject's test score of (c) is a predetermined passing score below the normative test score or if the subject's test score of (c) is above said passing score but the subject requires excessive neurocognitive capacity as determined in (d) to obtain the passing score.

Claim 18

A method to track the mental capacity of a human subject over time as an indication of brain functioning, including the steps of: (a) testing the subject in a test of performance of a task while the subject is sober and alert at a first date to obtain a normative test score for the subject and recording said normative test score; (b) simultaneously with (a) detecting and analyzing at least one physiological function of the subject with a physiological monitoring device to determine a normative neurocognitive capacity score for the subject which is the normal neurocognitive capacity utilized by the subject to obtain the normative test score, and recording the normative neurocognitive capacity score; and subsequently, at a later date; (c) testing the subject, while the subject is sober and alert, in a test of performance of a task to obtain a test score and comparing the test score with the normative test score; (d) simultaneously with (c) detecting and analyzing said physiological function of the subject with a physiological monitoring device to determine the neurocognitive capacity of the subject used to pass the test of (c), and comparing said neurocognitive capacity used by the subject with the normative neurocognitive capacity score; and (e) determining, as an indication of the mental functioning of the subject, if the subject's test score of (c) is a predetermined passing score below the normative test score or if the subject's test score of (c) is above said passing score but the subject requires excessive neurocognitive capacity as determined in (d) to obtain the passing score.

Claim 19

A method to track the mental capacity of a human subject over time as an indication of brain functioning, including the steps of: (a) testing the subject in a test of performance of a task while the subject is sober and alert at a first date to obtain a normative test score for the subject and recording said normative test score; (b) simultaneously with (a) detecting and analyzing at least one physiological function of the subject with a physiological monitoring device to determine a normative neurocognitive capacity score for the subject which is the normal neurocognitive capacity utilized by the subject to obtain the normative test score, and recording the normative neurocognitive capacity score; and subsequently, at a later date; (c) testing the subject, while the subject is sober and alert, in a test of performance of a task to obtain a test score and comparing the test score with the normative test score; (d) simultaneously with (c) detecting and analyzing said physiological function of the subject with a physiological monitoring device to determine the neurocognitive capacity of the subject used to pass the test of (c), and comparing said neurocognitive capacity used by the subject with the normative neurocognitive capacity score; and (e) determining, as an indication of the mental functioning of the subject, if the subject's test score of (c) is a predetermined passing score below the normative test score or if the subject's test score of (c) is above said passing score but the subject requires excessive neurocognitive capacity as determined in (d) to obtain the passing score.

Claim 25

A system to determine the mental capacity of a human subject to perform a work assignment, including (a) testing means for testing the subject in the test of performance of a trial to obtain a test score and digital computer means to compare the obtained test score with a recorded normative test score obtained from performance testing the subject while the subject was sober, alert and healthy; (b) physiological monitoring means for detecting and analyzing at least one physiological function of the subject to determine the neurocognitive capacity the subject uses while taking the trial of (a); wherein the physiological monitoring device includes a device selected from the group of an EKG heart monitor, and EMG muscle monitor, a skin conductivity monitor, and an electro-optical eye movement and blink sensor and an electrical eye movement and blink sensor; and (c) comparison computer means to automatically compare the neurocognitive capacity used by the subject as determined by the EEG means with a recorded normative neurocognitive capacity score obtained by an EEG device connected to the subject while the subject was sober, alert and healthy; whereby the comparisons of (a) and (c) are used to determine if the subject's test score of (a) is below a passing grade based on the normative test score or if the subject's test score of (a) is above said passing grade and whether the subject required excessive neurocognitive capacity as determined by the computer comparison means of (b) to obtain the passing grade.

Claim 26

A system to determine the mental capacity of a human subject to perform a work assignment, including (a) testing means for testing the subject in the test of performance of a trial to obtain a test score and digital computer means to compare the obtained test score with a recorded normative test score obtained from performance testing the subject while the subject was sober, alert and healthy; (b) physiological monitoring means for detecting and analyzing at least one physiological function of the subject to determine the neurocognitive capacity the subject uses while taking the trial of (a); wherein the physiological monitoring device includes a device selected from the group of an EKG heart monitor, and EMG muscle monitor, a skin conductivity monitor, and an electro-optical eye movement and blink sensor and an electrical eye movement and blink sensor; and (c) comparison computer means to automatically compare the neurocognitive capacity used by the subject as determined by the EEG means with a recorded normative neurocognitive capacity score obtained by an EEG device connected to the subject while the subject was sober, alert and healthy; whereby the comparisons of (a) and (c) are used to determine if the subject's test score of (a) is below a passing grade based on the normative test score or if the subject's test score of (a) is above said passing grade and whether the subject required excessive neurocognitive capacity as determined by the computer comparison means of (b) to obtain the passing grade.