Introducing EpiMonitor: Our next generation, FDA-cleared epilepsy monitoring system
Empatica
Feb 28, 2024• 5 min read
After months of hard work, we are proud to announce the official launch of EpiMonitor, our latest advancement in wearable epilepsy monitoring solutions, providing even more peace of mind to individuals and families living with epilepsy.
EpiMonitor has been FDA-cleared for use in adult and children populations aged 6 and up, and is the only wearable solution with regulatory approval for seizure detection available to purchase in the US. It is the successor to Embrace2, which enjoyed global acclaim as the leading wearable for seizure detection for years, and the first ever to be available to patients.
A significant leap forward in epilepsy monitoring
EpiMonitor represents a significant leap forward in epilepsy monitoring technologies, thanks to enhanced capabilities including new seizure alert features, up to a week of battery life, and advanced health insights. It utilizes Empatica’s next-generation medical watch, EmbracePlus, which has already been used successfully to monitor the health of thousands of participants in hundreds of clinical trials. Together with a companion smartphone app and smart algorithms, EpiMonitor is a complete system that continuously monitors its wearer’s health data, detecting possible generalized tonic-clonic seizures, alerting caregivers, and providing users with valuable health information that can help them better manage their condition.
Watch our video and see EpiMonitor in action!
EpiMonitor key features
- FDA-cleared for adults and children ages 6 and up
- Automatic seizure detection through a smart algorithm (98% accuracy; low False Alarm Rate) and alerts to caregivers via a call and SMS with the location of the user
- Up to 7 days of battery life
- Advanced sensor technology for accurate data collection
- Ability for users to send self-triggered alerts to caregivers
- A user-friendly mobile app with a seizure diary
- Sleep and activity tracking through Empatica’s algorithms
- Seizure, sleep and activity reports that can be exported and shared with a physician
- Compatibility with iOS and Android smartphones
In a statement, our Chief Scientist and Co-founder Dr. Rosalind Picard described the importance of this milestone:
“Empatica has always provided the only smartwatch seizure monitors validated by the FDA. Our new solution, Epimonitor, takes this to a new level: giving patients up to 7 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.”
We are excited to see what it brings and hope it opens up new paths towards living better with epilepsy, and gives you and your loved ones added freedom and confidence to enjoy life.
Help make seizure forecasting a reality
In December 2023, we announced our plans to conduct a groundbreaking study to develop a seizure forecasting algorithm, based on the world’s largest real-world data set in epilepsy patients. Recruitment for the study is available to all US-based EpiMonitor users.
By enrolling in the study, users can contribute valuable data to ongoing research efforts, and participate in a large-scale scientific effort to create a better tomorrow for people living with epilepsy. Large datasets are extremely important to train an algorithm to achieve a prediction of when someone will have a seizure, but they are also extremely difficult to gather. With this study, Empatica seeks to overcome this challenge with the participation of its community.
Seizure forecasting can have multiple benefits, including early intervention in the form of tailoring therapies to the start of seizure onset [1], better seizure management and treatment [2], and useful information that can be used to modify daily activitie [2.3].
EpiMonitor is available for purchase in the US from the Empatica website.
To learn more about EpiMonitor visit empatica.com/epimonitor.
Own an Embrace2?
Rest assured that our beloved Embrace2 will continue to provide peace of mind to its existing users across the world, and all its alerting and monitoring services will continue to function as normal.
If you are an Embrace2 user based in the US and are interested in switching to EpiMonitor, you might be interested in our trade-in program! If you trade in your old Embrace2 you can get up to $175 off EpiMonitor. Read our support article to learn more.
[1] Epilepsy Foundation (https://www.epilepsy.com/research-funding/epilepsy-innovation-institute/seizure-gauge-challenge)