This Startup is solving epilepsy with biosensors and AI

> Epilert contains a monitoring system that enables epileptic patients, their caregivers and doctors to monitor patients’ vital signs, daily lifestyle, medication taking and seizures through dedicated mobile apps.

I live with someone who has epilepsy. For adults, it's largely manageable with some medications. For my partner, this enables her to work and live mostly normally.

The biggest issue for her is having an early warning system. She is unable to obtain a drivers license, though she doesn't frequently convulse at random times. It's typically cyclical for her, and of the time I have known her, it's never been "unexpected". She usually knows before hand what's going on and lies down in bed, takes a secondary anti-convulesant medication and relaxes. Most of the time this - just works.

However, I would love for her to be able to drive, as it's a huge impediment for her being able to work places, or visit places. I don't especially like being a standby taxi driver.

If she could reliably get alerts from a monitoring device, I think she would be low risk for driving. The fear of the DMV is that she has a seizure on the highway and kills herself or someone else. With a good early warning system, she could pull over, or not drive that day or whatever.

Epilepsy is manageable but also can be very rough - it's a lifelong situation and is can be triggered by a sorts of things.

Anyway, just my two cents.

Re: This Startup is solving epilepsy with biosensors and AI

#6

Post by codeulike » Mon, Apr 05, 2021, 5:04 PM UTC

There have been many watches along these lines already, e.g. https://www.empatica.com/en-gb/embrace2/ although previous ones have mostly used motion sensing. This Epilert startup seems to be looking at motion and also other signals like heartbeat, skin temperature, electrodermal activity.

I have a close family member with severe epilepsy so I'm interested, but the usefulness of these devices comes down to reliability and minimising false alarms while also not missing any serious events, which is a very hard thing to get right.

However there's something a little odd about their slogan of "finest epilepsy detection device". I can imagine 'finest' used for chocolate or wine, but its an odd adjective for a medical device.

Re: This Startup is solving epilepsy with biosensors and AI

#7

Post by Traubenfuchs » Mon, Apr 05, 2021, 5:04 PM UTC

the-dude wrote: post #2

Actual title is Epilert, the finest epilepsy detection device .

"solving epilepsy" is indeed in very bad taste.

Re: This Startup is solving epilepsy with biosensors and AI

#8

Post by arielserafini » Mon, Apr 05, 2021, 5:12 PM UTC

calvinmorrison wrote: post #5

without regards to the hubbub around "AI". > Epilert contains a monitoring system that enables epileptic patients, their caregivers and doctors to monitor patients’ vital signs, daily lifestyle, medication taking and seizures through dedicated mobile apps. I live with someone who has epilepsy. For adults, it's largely manageable with some medications. For my partner, this enables her to work and live mostly normally.…

if you don't mind me asking, does your partner take daily medication for it?

I discovered I have epilepsy about 2 years ago, but my case seems to be very mild. I'm now on Tegretol and haven't had any seizures since. But, of course, I know the intensity and triggers vary wildly from person to person.

Re: This Startup is solving epilepsy with biosensors and AI

#9

Post by arielserafini » Mon, Apr 05, 2021, 5:15 PM UTC

codeulike wrote: post #6

There have been many watches along these lines already, e.g. https://www.empatica.com/en-gb/embrace2/ although previous ones have mostly used motion sensing. This Epilert startup seems to be looking at motion and also other signals like heartbeat, skin temperature, electrodermal activity. I have a close family member with severe epilepsy so I'm interested, but the usefulness of these devices comes down to reliability…

It looks like something written by a non-native speaker, doesn't it? They also have the following:

> With its fast-charging batteries, the device is capable of staying alive for 48h straight.

"staying alive" just sounds like a terrible choice of words for a medical device.

Re: This Startup is solving epilepsy with biosensors and AI

#10

Post by codeulike » Mon, Apr 05, 2021, 5:28 PM UTC

arielserafini wrote: post #9

codeulike wrote: post #6

There have been many watches along these lines already, e.g. https://www.empatica.com/en-gb/embrace2/ although previous ones have mostly used motion sensing. This Epilert startup seems to be looking at motion and also other signals like heartbeat, skin temperature, electrodermal activity. I have a close family member with severe epilepsy so I'm interested, but the usefulness of these devices comes down to reliability…

It looks like something written by a non-native speaker, doesn't it? They also have the following: > With its fast-charging batteries, the device is capable of staying alive for 48h straight. "staying alive" just sounds like a terrible choice of words for a medical device.

Indeed