Students develop seizure detecting belt that sends data wirelessly
Millions of kids and adults alike suffer with epilepsy – a neurological disorder characterized by seizures, and there aren’t many ways to detect seizures. Electroencephalograph (EEG) is perhaps a standard care for seizure detection, but now members of the Team Seize and Assist, with sponsorship from Houston-based Cyberonics Inc. have developed a belt, which monitors signs of epileptic seizures and sends information of it via Bluetooth to the smartphone or computing device of the caregiver.
The SMART (Seizure Monitoring and Response Transducer) belt detects early signs of a seizure underway i.e. increasing electrical conductance in the skin and the alterations in rate of respiration. The belt comprises of a pair of silver and silver chloride electrodes (like in lie detectors) – the electrodes sense electrical conductivity and also monitors change in breathing of the wearer. The sensors are attached with a removable electronic unit comprising of a battery and transmitter, which sends data (signs of a seizure) via Bluetooth to a smartphone or computer.
The belt is good to be worn by children and adults, but it has been basically designed keeping children in mind. The motive behind the inexpensive and comfortable to wear device it that parent can have a round the clock monitoring of their kids and be informed of when the kid may be developing symptoms of an attack (especially during nights). Students haven’t yet tested the belt on an epileptic patient, but have seen effective results in a few trials.
Via: Rice University