Epilepsy is a neurological disorder suffered by around 50 million people worldwide. People affected by seizures, disregarding the disease or syndrome triggering them, tend to have more physical problems (such as fractures and bruising) as well as higher rates of sudden death if they are not properly assisted when seizures occur. They need prompt assistance when experiencing convulsions because there is a risk for them of being injured or having a cardiac arrest. Caregivers (usually patients’ relatives) reduce this risk by being alert and applying techniques such as holding the patients, putting them in a certain stance or providing them with the prescribed drugs.
The situation worsens significantly when generalized seizures occur during the night-time and caregivers cannot assist patients because they are sleeping. Caregivers (especially relatives) are highly concerned about a patient having a deadly episode so they usually sleep in the same room, staying alert all night. This leads to several inconveniences related to interference with their normal lives such as loss of privacy, bad resting, and thus higher risk for patients. It has been shown that 20% of people affected by epilepsy suffer seizures at night-time.
There are already devices designed to monitor patients and alert when they suffer seizures. However, these systems are expensive, inaccurate and/or intrusive, so patients refuse to use them because they feel uncomfortable and caregivers do not trust them, and so both feel deceived and frustrated. Thus, the main problems to solve are:
- Problem 1: Accuracy of the detection systems: sensors and algorithms. Sensors are not always located at the best places: smartwatches cannot detect leg shaking, mattress sensors do not detect mild seizures, etc. Algorithms need to improve to identify patients’ different seizure patterns.
- Problem 2: Intrusiveness of the devices. Most sensors are attached to patients’ bodies, so they are extremely uncomfortable to wear, especially while sleeping. They can also be detached without patients realizing it.
- Problem 3: High price. Most systems for seizure detection are too expensive for patients.
- Problem 4: Lack of data about epileptic seizures. Researchers and clinicians do not have enough information to properly address epilepsy.
SeizSafe has been designed in collaboration with patient associations to solve these problems by providing a non-intrusive reliable system at an affordable price.
SeizSafe is a system to monitor patients during nighttime and alert their caregivers when a seizure is detected. This way, patients can be assisted on time, minimizing seizures’ risks, and caregivers can rest with the peace of mind of knowing that the system will wake them up when a seizure starts. The new system aims to overcome the drawbacks of the current products in terms of reliability, comfort and price, offering patients and caregivers a solution which fits their needs and meets their expectations.
SeizSafe also allows to share (under patient authorization) information about seizures to their doctors, helping them towards better diagnoses and drug prescription. This information will be ultimately used for medical research purposes in order to improve the efficacy of the epilepsy drugs (for more information see 1.4 Ambition).
