Mobile Application based detection of Seizures using Inertial Measurement Units and Emergency Care

Abstract

A seizure refers to the changes that may occur in the human body after a brief episode of abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain. The seizures may be caused due to various reasons and some seizures have an advert effect on the person’s health, some causing even death. Thus, it is important to continuously monitor the person in order to prevent so.Currently, for monitoring epileptic seizures, a combination of video and Electroencephalography (EEG) is used. EEG is the recording of the electrical activity along the scalp and it makes use of electrodes that have to be attached to the scalp. This makes it uncomfortable for the patient when he sleeps and this also requires long term home monitoring which is not feasible.Instead of making use of EEG, our objective is to make use of sensors i.e., Inertial Measurement Unit(IMU)to monitor the patient. The IMUs are attached to the wrist and seizures in any direction (X, Y, and Z) can be detected.We also intend to make use of a smartphone application to detect the presence of a seizure,along with a mobile (3G or 4G) network torelay informationurgently from these sensors to the nearest hospital and call for immediate care.