Empatica, a pioneer in remote health monitoring, has unveiled its latest breakthrough in wearable technology: the EpiMonitor. This cutting-edge watch is tailored for epilepsy monitoring, representing a major leap forward in personalized healthcare.
The EpiMonitor earned US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for use in adults and children aged six and above. This makes it the only FDA-approved wearable for seizure detection available for purchase in the US.
Key Features of the EpiMonitor
The EpiMonitor package includes two main components: the EmbracePlus wearable device and the EpiMonitor app, a dedicated smartphone application for seizure monitoring. The app operates exclusively with data from the EmbracePlus device, making it essential to have an EmbracePlus to use the EpiMonitor app.
As the successor to Empatica’s Embrace2, the EpiMonitor offers enhanced features such as improved seizure alert capabilities, a battery life of up to one week and advanced health insights. Seizure detection is managed by an intelligent algorithm with a 98 percent accuracy rate and minimal false alarms. Caregivers receive alerts via phone calls and SMS messages with the user’s location for prompt assistance.
Empatica’s new device also includes advanced sensor technology for precise data collection. Additionally, the system has the option to send self-triggered alerts to caregivers and is compatible with both iOS and Android smartphones.
“Empatica has always provided the only smartwatch seizure monitors validated by the FDA. EpiMonitor takes this to a new level: giving patients up to seven days of battery life and new features that give them greater control over seizure alerts. Also, at the touch of a button, patients can now see comprehensive health insights — including seizures, sleep and activity reports — in a form easy to give their clinician. EpiMonitor is the device we’ve long dreamed of to open a new era in giving epilepsy patients greater control over their lives,” said Empatica’s chief scientist and co-founder, Dr. Rosalind Picard, in the news release.
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Empatica’s Seizure Forecasting Algorithm in the Works
Empatica is launching a new study aimed at developing a revolutionary seizure forecasting algorithm. Announced in December 2023, the FORESIGHT study is now open for recruitment to all EpiMonitor users in the US. This project will leverage a vast real-world dataset from epilepsy patients.
The research is a “critical step in our ongoing development of innovative and effective seizure management tools that improve clinical outcomes and quality of life for patients with epilepsy,” noted the company’s chief medical officer Marisa Cruz.
Empatica emphasizes that seizure forecasting offers several advantages, such as the ability to promptly customize therapies at the onset of a seizure and enhance seizure management and treatment. Additionally, it provides insights that help adjust daily activities based on collected data.
Other Wearables for Epilepsy Monitoring and Seizure Detection?
Most commercially available sensors, despite offering various form factors and capabilities, lack regulatory approval for epilepsy use. Many modern smartwatches include accelerometric and photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors, which can potentially be useful for monitoring seizures, and there are several smartwatch and smartphone applications designed for this purpose.
However, the SPEAC surface electromyography (sEMG) monitor by Brain Sentinel stands out as the only other FDA-cleared, non-EEG, physiological signal-based system for seizure monitoring. This lightweight, non-invasive device is worn on the arm, positioned over the biceps muscle, and continuously monitors sEMG signals, which indicate activity in the brain’s motor cortices.
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