Seizure detection watches for epilepsy
The worst part about having epilepsy is you do not know when the seizures will occur, and it is a constant source of worry for you, especially if you are a parent or a caregiver of an epileptic individual.
Epilepsy, if not properly and quickly treated, can cause abnormal breathing patterns and aberrant heart rhythms, which alone or together, can even lead to death. This is called Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), a rare complication that can happen.
Luckily, we now have seizure detection technology that will alert you when a seizure occurs, allowing the caregiver to provide help on time and hopefully prevent SUDEP. This article will discuss seizure-detection watches and review those available in the market based on current research data and real world testing.
Seizure Watches
1 in 500 people undergo SUDEP per year due to uncontrolled tonic-clonic seizures. A seizure watch can alert caregivers when an attack occurs and allow them to manage it quickly.
The very first device introduced to the US to detect seizures was an EMG patch device which could be attached to the arm. This was commercially unsuccessful and is no longer marketed. We now have more sophisticated wristwatches to detect seizures.
An ideal seizure watch should-
- Be able to detect seizures accurately around 90% of the time.
- Give minimum false alerts.
- Be easy to use and maintain.
- Be affordable.
- Have a long battery life.
- Look like an ordinary watch and therefore be non-stigmatizing.
How do Seizure Detection Watches Work?
Seizure detection watches mostly detect tonic-clonic seizures. Tonic-clonic seizures have a typical pattern of movement that the watch can detect, and it is coupled to a system that alerts your caregiver. They can then take the necessary actions to manage your convulsive episode.
The devices are programmed with algorithms that will over time identify actual seizure patterns and reduce the number of false alarms given. Epileptic patients show very similar types of tonic-clonic movements. These are recorded and put into a vast database from which the algorithms are meticulously created.
Brief reviews on available seizure watches
I myself tried the seizure watches and wore them for few weeks to get a feel of how they perform in real life scenarios. I do not have epilepsy, so no real seizures were recorded, but got an idea about the daily activities and the feel of them.
Embrace Empatica 2
The experience with “Embrace Empatica 2” was overall a positive one. It has an adaptive algorithm that learns your seizure pattern over time. This means it will initially go off with repetitive muscle movements or muscle tensing that mimic the convulsions, for example brushing your teeth or lifting weights. But it adapts and gives much fewer false alarms with time.
The Empatica 2 also uses sweat sensing and heart rate which changes during seizure for optimal detection.
This watch is comfortable to wear and comes in different colors. It comes with a phone app for which you need a monthly subscription. The disadvantage of this watch was that while you could disable the alarm it went off even though it was canceled.
The watch was priced currently at $250 at the time of writing this article with the monthly subscription valued at $9.90. The monthly subscription increases the more features and the more people you add to it. Your insurance can cover the cost depending on your plan, so contact your provider before purchasing. Please check the watch website for updated pricing and features.
SeizeAlarm
This is an application on the Apple Watch. The major drawback of this watch was that it had too many false positive results. The purpose of the watch is to detect seizure-like rhythmic muscle contractions and have an alarm go off.
Of course, if the movements are due to day-to-day activities, you can silence the alarm. If the movements are due to a seizure, you wouldn’t be able to turn it off and it would alert people that you are experiencing a convulsion.
This app also has a feature that allows your phone to detect seizures. But if you activate it and put your phone in your pocket and simply walk, I found the alarm goes off. It is not equipped with algorithms to learn actual seizure patterns.
While you can adjust the settings to reduce the false alarms, I still felt it gave too many false positives. I have discussed this with the engineering team and suggest they add an algorithm to recognize actual seizure patterns and learn from feedback given by the user, I hope these recommendations will be implemented in future updates.
Both these watches offer a free trial period and I suggest you try them out for yourself.
The future is bright for wearable devices
Seizure detection technology will be more prevalent in the market with innovations coming to light every day and companies working on engineering challenges. This technology can help people who are struggling with seizures.
There are other seizure detection systems that are not yet FDA approved that use sensors to detect motion via cameras, or under bed mattresses and other new technologies for seizure detection. Stay tuned for more innvoations in this field.
Which watch should I get?
There are many factors you need to consider before buying the watch. Out of the two watches I have reviewed currently the Empatica 2 watch is the best for seizure detection currently. Consult your neurologist and go through FDA-approved watches and other devices like cameras to find the best suited for you.