An assistant professor at The University of Texas at Arlington has developed a wearable headset that detects when epilepsy patients are having seizures and records data that doctors can monitor and review.
Such a device would allow millions of people worldwide to receive treatment on an outpatient basis, rather than having to stay in expensive inpatient epilepsy monitoring units. The sensors on the headset transmit information wirelessly to the cloud, allowing physicians to access data at any time.
“The headset is less expensive, less restrictive and allows patients to live a more normal life,” said VP Nguyen, assistant professor in the Computer Science and Engineering Department. “It could also offer greater security for patients who live alone because it could send a message to a family member, friend or health care provider that a seizure is occurring so help can be dispatched.”
Nguyen has tested the device on 17 patients in the UT Southwestern Department of Neurology since August 2021. The study is ongoing and will include up to 150 patients. He says that the doctors there have been supportive of the device, and he hopes to advance past the validation phase of testing to see how it performs in real situations.