An Update on SmartWatch: An Innovative Monitoring, Detection, and Reporting Solution for Seizures
The Epilepsy Foundation has provided funding for more than 60 of the 120 products currently in the epilepsy pipeline. This is an update on a project we have helped fund that is now available for people living with epilepsy.
On Christmas Day a few years ago, a single mother reached out to Smart Monitor founder Anoo Nathan to share a frustrating story. Her teenage son suffered from epilepsy, and she desperately sought a way to monitor him while he slept and while she worked. Until then, she had set an alarm to go off hourly – day and night – to check on him.
Ms. Nathan heard from several more parents and family members who were in need of an automated solution for detecting unusual movements from various conditions. She launched Smart Monitor with the mission to develop an easy-to-use monitoring device that would immediately notify a family member when the user needed help.
About SmartWatch
SmartWatch, Smart Monitor’s flagship product, is a patented, intelligent and non-invasive wristwatch that continuously monitors the user and instantly alerts family members and caregivers upon the onset of abnormal movement patterns similar to those caused by generalized tonic-clonic (GTC) seizures. When the SmartWatch detects repetitive shaking motion, it automatically sends the user’s Bluetooth-connected Android phone text and phone call alerts to designated alert recipients. Within seconds, family members receive the SmartWatch alerts, which include the date, time, GPS location and duration of the event.
SmartWatch is fully portable and can be worn in and out of bed, during sleeping and waking hours, as the wearers go about their regular activities in their homes, schools, offices and elsewhere. SmartWatch provides caregivers peace of mind, as they know they will be alerted upon the occurrence of excessive movements, which may be indicative of a seizure. SmartWatch also gives wearers independence, allowing them to go about their normal daily activities without worrying whether they’ll be able to get help if they have a seizure.
More Than Just Monitoring
SmartWatch has several ancillary features that can help improve the safety and treatment of users. The Medication Reminders feature allows users to set customized medication reminders and other useful notifications. For the many people with epilepsy who may find it challenging to stay on a daily medication routine, Medication Reminders can be valuable and potentially lifesaving.
Another useful feature is the “Get Help” button, which allows users to immediately notify parents or caregivers and, if necessary, quickly direct them to their exact location using SmartWatch’s GPS functionality. With this feature, users can also get help when they have non-GTC seizures that SmartWatch won’t detect.
SmartWatch’s data reporting capabilities can provide significant value to both users and clinicians. The device records the date and time, location, duration and intensity of every alerted event. Users can securely access this data and share it with their physicians, providing valuable insight that can lead to more proactive and better-informed care decisions.
Clinical Studies
The ability of the SmartWatch to detect and alert upon repetitive shaking motion similar to those caused by convulsive seizures has been validated via clinical studies at leading medical institutions.
- Stanford University Medical Center (Jan 2009 – June 2010) - In this study, conducted with adult patients for more than a year, the SmartWatch was able to detect all but one generalized tonic-clonic seizure during the study. The one seizure was missed due to a process error – an aide inadvertently put on a watch that was not charged on the patient who had the seizure.
- University of California, San Francisco Pediatric Epilepsy Center (July 2011 - Jan 2013) - The UCSF studies were conducted for over a year with pediatric patients and concluded very successfully earlier this year. The SmartWatch was used in patients as young as 3 years. In over 500+ hours of testing, the SmartWatch did not miss a single seizure. There was one false positive during the entire testing period. This demonstrates a tremendous improvement in accuracy based on the algorithm improvements made after the Stanford studies.
- St. Jude’s Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital (Jan 2013 - Present) - Clinical studies are currently underway at St. Jude’s Hospital in Memphis, TN. The studies are focusing on the SmartWatch’s data reporting and aggregating capabilities. The studies began in January 2013 and will be completed by year’s end.
SmartWatch Grants
The Epilepsy Foundation and Epilepsy Therapy Project provided grants that were absolutely crucial in helping to bring SmartWatch to market. These grants also allowed Smart Monitor to complete the Stanford University study and a series of in-home tests to validate the efficacy of the SmartWatch. Smart Monitor is tremendously grateful to both organizations for the support and funding they’ve provided.
Purchasing SmartWatch
SmartWatch is available to purchase through an affordable monthly subscription plan. SmartWatch subscriptions include firmware and software upgrades, customer support, choice of one of 12 watch band colors, and a full product warranty for as long as the account remains active. A new, intuitive user interface and “My SmartWatch” cloud portal will soon be available for all SmartWatch users as well.
To learn more about SmartWatch and view subscription plan options, please visit www.smart-monitor.com.
Resources
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Epilepsy and Seizures 24/7 Helpline
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