An AI smartwatch That Detects Seizures – Techbytes
Cutting Edge Wearable Technology
Wristwatches have always been one of the most valuable assets in our daily lives. It is a symbol of high status and luxury across the globe. Furthermore, these days we are witnessing a merger between cutting edge wearable technology i.e. wristwatches. Whether it is Apple, Samsung, Lenovo, or Fitbit, tech giants are heavily focusing on this segment. Besides GPS and heartbeat tracking, they’re also embedding AI in the watches.
One of the most revolutionary concepts in the present time is the AI smartwatch by Rosalind Picard and her team. Besides weather forecasting and heartbeat prediction, people are using them for detecting diseases. One of the most ardent innovations in recent times is detecting seizures. It can prevent thousands of deaths due to epilepsy. Let us look at how wearable technology can detect this fatal disease.
How can AI detect Seizures? : Cutting Edge Wearable Technology
Before diving further into the topic, you must know about electrical impulses. Whenever there’s a seizure, there’s a disturbance in the brain’s electrical activity. It also disturbs the pulse rate, and the smartwatch captures it. This concept is similar to that of EEG. The only difference is that we can carry this device on our wrists as a smartwatch.
When our body experiences stress, our palms begin to sweat. That increases the electrical conductivity of our skin. It led to the development of cutting-edge technology by the MIT media lab. This smartwatch captures the conductivity of the wrist 24-7. It led to the following conclusions:
- The conductivity was at its peak while we’re asleep.
- Secondly, conductivity rises when we perform tasks that challenge cognition.
Epilepsy and Smartwatch
This is one of the best use-cases of this technology. In the case of epilepsy patients, skin conductivity increases drastically 20-30 minutes before a seizure. Researchers at MIT saw this anomalous pattern. After careful monitoring of the patients with ECG and EDA, they thought of using AI in this wearable technology.
The sensors in the watch capture conductance and wrist movements to predict the seizures. It is possible because of extensive training data and thorough research. Furthermore, the AI also detects another type of seizure that occurs due to the Amygdala. Amygdala is a component in our brain responsible for emotions. However, before the occurrence of a special type of epilepsy seizure, there’s no physical discomfort to the patient. He might be feeling very calm while his breathing and heart stop. That can lead to death if the person is alone. This combination of AI and smartwatch can even predict such seizures with very high accuracy.
Our Takeaway
We can’t deny that the evolution of technology directly affects the healthcare industry. This sector undergoes radical positive changes every couple of years. Since its advent, AI has been a boon for diagnosing and treating diseases. Furthermore, its integration with the devices which we use in our daily lives has been highly productive so far.
An AI-enabled smartwatch is one of the best wearable technology to date. We are advancing towards the dominance of cutting-edge technology. A smartwatch with AI is just a stepping stone, which has the potential to save millions of individuals in the coming future.
