The cognitive layer
of industrial systems intelligence.
LinkedTIERRA Neuro is our forward research practice. We study how attention, fatigue, motor learning, and decision-making fit into industrial systems — through immersive VR/AR training in Unity, non-invasive neurophysiology, and ethically-grounded human-machine collaboration research.
3
Focus areas
10-ch
Mobile EEG
0
Surveillance use
The wedge · What sets us apart
Most neurotech is either invasive hype or cautious inaction.
We sit deliberately in between.
The industrial neurotech market is full of startups promising what they can't deliver and consultants too cautious to deliver anything at all. Our middle path is rigorous, non-invasive, ethics-first research that produces real engineering outputs.
We don't drill into skulls. We measure cognition non-invasively.
EEG, eye-tracking, HRV — wearable, removable, consensual. Brain-computer interface as research methodology, not surgical product.
Neural data is for the operator's safety, not the manager's dashboard.
Cognitive monitoring exists to protect workers from fatigue, overload, and error — never to rank, score, or report on individual productivity.
Every claim is grounded in peer-reviewed neuroergonomics.
EEG theta/beta ratios, saccadic latency, HRV — well-published correlates of mental workload. We build on established science, not promises.
Three focus areas · Where we work
Cognition is now part of the engineering picture.
Our three current focus areas span training, measurement, and adaptive systems. Each builds on the same neurophysiological foundation. Each produces engineering outputs — not opinions.
VR / AR Training
Hazard exposure without real-world risk.
Custom Unity-built VR scenarios for industrial sites: human-robot collaboration zones, hazardous-task drills, multi-step procedural training. Cognitive learning measurement is built into every scene — not bolted on after.
4-12wk
Scenario build
≥3
Headset platforms
Deliverables
- Unity-built VR/AR scenario suite
- Multi-headset support (Quest, Vision Pro, Varjo)
- Embedded learning analytics
- Custom scenario authoring tools
- Pre/post-training cognitive assessment
Tech stack
Neuroergonomic Assessment
Mental workload, measured.
Mobile EEG, eye-tracking, and HRV deployed during actual operator tasks. We measure cognitive bottlenecks in control rooms, vehicle cabs, and operator panels using validated neurophysiological methods.
10-ch
EEG channels
0.7+
MWL accuracy
Deliverables
- 10-channel mobile EEG recording
- Pupillometry + saccadic analysis
- HRV stress correlation
- Mental workload index (MWL)
- Operator-facing recommendations report
Tech stack
Adaptive Human-Machine Interfaces
Interfaces that respond to cognitive state.
The research moonshot. Closed-loop systems where TIERRA Live operator panels adapt to the operator's measured cognitive load — dimming non-critical alerts, simplifying visualizations, or escalating to colleagues when overload is detected.
< 200ms
Closed-loop latency
TIERRA Live
Integration target
Deliverables
- BCI-inspired interaction patterns
- Cognitive-load-aware UI prototypes
- Closed-loop VR training (difficulty adapts)
- Integration spec with LinkedTIERRA Live
- Research-paper-grade methodology docs
Tech stack
The stack · Real equipment, real research
Premium hardware paired with open-source signal processing.
We deploy research-grade neurophysiological hardware in real industrial environments, then process the signals with the same open scientific tooling used in peer-reviewed neuroscience.
Neurophysiology
Non-invasive cognitive measurement
- Research-grade
OpenBCI Cyton
8-ch EEG · research-grade
- Research-grade
Emotiv EPOC X
14-ch mobile EEG · field deployments
- Consumer
Muse S
Frontal EEG · screening
- Research-grade
Polar H10
HRV · medical-grade ECG
Eye-tracking
Gaze, fixation, saccades, pupillometry
- Research-grade
Tobii Pro Spectrum
Lab-grade 600Hz tracker
- Research-grade
Tobii Pro Glasses 3
Mobile eye-tracking
- Open-source
Pupil Labs Core
Open-source · custom builds
- Consumer
Quest Pro / Vision Pro
Embedded headset tracking
VR / AR / XR
Immersive training and prototyping
- Consumer
Meta Quest 3 / Pro
Mainstream VR · MR passthrough
- Consumer
Apple Vision Pro
High-fidelity MR · spatial computing
- Research-grade
Varjo XR-4
Photorealistic mixed reality
- Research-grade
HoloLens 2
Industrial AR · hands-free workflows
Software & Engine
Build, analyze, integrate
- Research-grade
Unity 6
Primary VR/AR engine
- Open-source
MNE-Python
EEG signal processing
- Open-source
scikit-learn · PyTorch
ML pipeline
- In-house
TIERRA Live SDK
In-house · integration layer
The vision · Where this is going
We're building toward a digital twin that includes the human.
Industrial digital twins today model machines, environments, and processes. The cognitive layer is missing. LinkedTIERRA Neuro's research roadmap is to close that gap in three horizons.
Production-adjacent
Measure cognition during real work.
Mobile EEG, eye-tracking, and HRV deployed in operator environments. The output is a static report — but for the first time, the cognitive layer is in the engineering picture, not the footnote.
Outcomes
- Neuroergonomic assessments on live sites
- Mental workload index per operator task
- Recommendations report (operator-facing)
Closed-loop training
VR scenarios that adapt to the trainee.
Unity-built VR/AR experiences where difficulty modulates with the trainee's measured cognitive load. Underloaded? Scenario complexity increases. Overloaded? It dials back and reinforces. Training time drops, retention climbs.
Outcomes
- Adaptive VR training modules
- Per-trainee learning trajectories
- Validated reduction in time-to-competency
The cognitive digital twin
TIERRA Live includes the operator's cognitive state.
The full vision: the operator panel responds to cognition. Non-critical alerts dim when the operator is in flow. Visualizations simplify under high load. The system escalates to a colleague when fatigue crosses a threshold. The digital twin finally includes the human.
Outcomes
- Cognitive-load-aware UI in TIERRA Live
- Real-time alert prioritization
- Operator wellness as a system signal
Each horizon's research outputs feed forward into the next. The cognitive measurements we're collecting today become the training data for tomorrow's adaptive interfaces.
Ethics & boundaries · What we will not do
Most neurotech ethics statements are decorative.
These are structural.
Every line below has been the difference between an engagement we accepted and one we walked away from. We publish these openly so there's no ambiguity for clients, workers, or regulators.
We will not drill into anyone's skull.
Invasive BCIs require surgical implantation. They carry medical risk, regulatory burden, and ethical complexity beyond what an industrial engineering practice should ever attempt.
We will use only non-invasive sensors.
EEG headcaps, eye-tracking, HRV monitors — all wearable, removable, and operator-controlled. The hardware comes off at the end of the shift.
We will not collect neural data without informed consent.
Cognitive data is more intimate than biometric data. We do not deploy in any environment where the workers being measured haven't actively agreed in writing — with explicit understanding of what's being recorded and why.
We will give operators full data control.
Every operator can see their own neural data, request its deletion, and withdraw from a study at any time without consequence. No exceptions, no retention loopholes.
We will not enable productivity surveillance.
Neural data ranked, scored, or reported individually to management for performance review is the abuse case that defines this technology's bad actors. We will not build it. We will not deploy alongside it.
We will measure for safety, not score for output.
Cognitive monitoring exists to protect workers from fatigue, overload, and error. Aggregate insights, anonymized findings, and operator-facing reports are the only acceptable outputs.
We will not deploy over union or workforce objections.
Industrial neurotech deployments require buy-in from the people being measured, not just the people paying for the measurement. Sidestepping unions or worker councils is a non-starter.
We will require stakeholder dialogue up front.
Before any deployment, we facilitate dialogue between management, workers, and worker representatives. If consensus can't be reached, we don't proceed. Engineering rigor includes the social contract.
◉ Our commitment
If you ask us to violate any of these boundaries, we will decline the engagement.
Even a high-value contract. Even with NDA pressure. Even when others would say yes. The boundaries above are non-negotiable preconditions for working with us — published openly so there's never a surprise.
Research partnerships · Q1 2027
Work with us on the cognitive layer of your operation.
We're accepting research partners for our 2027 program — facilities with real cognitive-load challenges, training bottlenecks, or human-machine collaboration friction. Two paths to engage:
Premium path
High commitment · High impact
Sponsor a research engagement.
Bring us your hardest cognitive-systems problem.
A multi-month engagement combining on-site neuroergonomic assessment, custom Unity VR/AR training modules, or adaptive interface prototyping. Outputs include research-paper-grade documentation, operator-facing reports, and integration specs.
Typical engagement includes
- 12-24 week timeline
- On-site cognitive measurement deployment
- Custom VR/AR training (if applicable)
- Ethics consultation + stakeholder dialogue
- Full methodology + findings documentation
- Optional co-published research paper
From
Inquire
Q1 2027 slots
3
Newsletter path
Stay informed · No commitment
Get on the lab updates list.
Quarterly notes from the lab. No marketing fluff.
Roughly once a quarter we share what's coming out of the lab — methodology updates, prototype demos, ethical reasoning behind decisions, and occasional pre-prints. Industry-grounded, never salesy. Unsubscribe instantly.
What you'll receive
- Quarterly lab update (4-6 issues/year)
- Methodology deep-dives
- Prototype demo videos when ready
- Ethics + boundaries discussion
- Early access to public engagements
- Zero marketing automation
Frequency
~6/yr
Format
Long-form
Response SLA
< 24h
Personal reply from Stephan
Confidentiality
NDA-ready
Standard NDA available on request
Geographic
Houston-led
Travel for qualifying engagements