At a time when thousands of families face waiting periods of months—or even years—to obtain an accurate neuropsychological diagnosis, an Alava-based company is working to transform the field through technology, science, and clinical artificial intelligence. Founded by Pablo Hourcade and his team, PlayGress Labs was created with a clear objective: to apply advanced engineering, biometrics, and clinical AI to improve diagnostic accuracy and reduce assessment times. “The problem was not a lack of scientific knowledge, but rather the absence of real, accessible, and scalable clinical tools,” explains Hourcade.
Its flagship development is SENECA, a proprietary EEG signal analysis platform designed from the ground up and continuously optimized. The system combines electroencephalography (EEG) with inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors, biometrics, eye tracking, artificial intelligence, and three-dimensional motion capture using LiDAR technology to perform objective neurocognitive assessments in a single 25-minute session.
SENECA currently identifies 425 biomarkers associated with ADHD and achieves a diagnostic accuracy rate of more than 86% compared with traditional clinical assessment methods. The company’s goal is to exceed 97.5% accuracy through further mathematical and physical optimizations applied to signal processing.
PlayGress Labs is guided by a fundamental principle: no two people with ADHD are the same. Patients sharing the same diagnosis may exhibit completely different biometric profiles, and these differences have direct clinical implications. For this reason, the company is committed to precision neurotechnology capable of personalizing each assessment and providing objective data that complements clinical judgment.
NeuroPsicoDx: Artificial Intelligence Applied to Neuropsychology
Alongside SENECA, the company has developed NeuroPsicoDx, an AI-enhanced neuropsychological assessment platform that digitalizes interviews, testing procedures, and patient histories to generate structured reports in less time than conventional models.
The platform processes more than 180 clinical variables and integrates widely used assessment batteries such as WISC-V, WAIS-IV, and WPPSI, as well as validated screening tools for ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and psychiatric symptoms.
One of its distinguishing features is the detection of masking patterns—adaptive behaviors that many individuals develop to compensate for their difficulties and which can lead to incomplete or inaccurate diagnoses if not properly identified. The platform also incorporates a triple-validation system designed to strengthen diagnostic objectivity through:
The company serves a broad range of clients, including neuropsychologists, private clinics, mental health centers, schools, and families, as well as hospitals, research foundations, and healthtech and biotechnology companies requiring clinical validation or support for R&D projects.
A Project Supported by the Basque Innovation Ecosystem
While maintaining its headquarters in Álava, PlayGress Labs has already begun its international expansion through agreements with clinics in Argentina and Brazil. Its roadmap includes scaling NeuroPsicoDx across Latin America before expanding into Europe.
The company’s growth has been supported by several organizations within the Basque innovation ecosystem. Its R&D project has been certified by SPRI, with a budget exceeding €2.25 million, and the company has received support from initiatives such as Emprende en Álava, Ekintzaile, and ENISA. It also maintains active collaborations with BioAraba, BIC Araba, and CIBIR, and has participated in Lanzadera, the startup accelerator promoted by Juan Roig.
Among its upcoming milestones is the opening of its own clinic and laboratory in Oyón (Álava). The facility will include a simulation room equipped with EEG technology and SENECA processing capabilities for research projects and dual-use civil and defense applications. Through this new infrastructure, the company aims to become a European benchmark in objective precision neurocognitive assessment.
“We want to build the European reference standard for neurocognitive assessment from Álava,” Hourcade concludes.
About the SPRI Group
The SPRI Group provides Basque companies with the opportunity to showcase their activities through its own communication channels. If your project is related to areas such as R&D&I, digitalization, internationalization, entrepreneurship, or innovation, you can participate in the “We Talk About You” (Hablamos de ti) initiative. Companies can also access a range of support programmes and services offered by SPRI.
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