Scope & Limits

This page defines the boundaries of FCE. These boundaries are intentional and non-negotiable.

“FCE measures functional performance. It does not explain causes, assign labels, or make decisions.”
Not diagnostic Not substance detection Not legal judgment Not automated decisions Refusal protects
Read Concept Open instrument

What FCE is not

  • FCE is not a diagnostic tool.
  • FCE is not a substance detection tool.
  • FCE is not a legal or disciplinary judgment system.
  • FCE is not a clinical triage system.
  • FCE is not an automated decision engine.
  • FCE is not a one-session verdict.

What FCE cannot do

  • FCE cannot determine why performance changed.
  • FCE cannot identify whether a change came from sleep, stress, illness, medication, distraction, recovery, or any other cause.
  • FCE cannot determine real-world fitness, permission, readiness, or legal status.
  • FCE cannot replace clinical judgment, institutional review, or human interpretation.
  • FCE cannot convert short-task results into conclusions beyond what was measured.

What FCE does

  • Measures short-task functional execution.
  • Compares current performance to a personal baseline.
  • Supports repeated self-comparison over time.
  • Stores history locally by default.
  • Refuses comparison when data quality is too low.

Physiology boundary

FCE does not measure neurological function, hormonal state, substance presence, or physiological systems directly.

It measures observable task execution only.

When FCE refuses a result

FCE may mark a session as not usable instead of producing a comparison.

  • too little valid data
  • too much noise or execution failure
  • conditions that make comparison unreliable

Refusal is protection against misleading interpretation. It is not punishment and it is not failure.

Interpretation responsibility

  • Results must be read in context.
  • Patterns over time matter more than one-off sessions.
  • Device and input consistency matter.
  • Human interpretation remains necessary.
  • FCE outputs are signals, not conclusions.

For practical workflow, see How to Use.

Institutional boundary

If FCE is ever explored in institutional settings, the following conditions should be treated as minimum requirements:

  • voluntary participation
  • clear consent
  • transparent interpretation rules
  • reviewability and contestability
  • no automatic enforcement
  • separation between the instrument and any sharing or reporting layer

Short disclaimer

FCE is a baseline-relative functional performance instrument. It measures short-task execution and compares results to a personal baseline. FCE does not diagnose conditions, detect substances, explain causes, or produce automated or binding decisions. Results must be interpreted by a human and considered together with context and history.