EpiHealth

The World Health Organization has recognized epilepsy as a major public health concern affecting over 50 million people worldwide. People with epilepsy have a three times higher risk of death than the average population, mostly due to the accidents that surround sudden seizure onsets. The unpredictability of seizure onset is a large issue surrounding epilepsy, and can significantly affect one’s quality of life. On top of dealing with the physical side of the condition, the patients have to deal with a lack of independence, impact on social life, and stigma and discrimination.

Growing up with a cousin who lives with epilepsy, I have witnessed firsthand the challenges that come with this condition. Simple activities like meeting friends or commuting to school can be difficult to navigate due to the fear of a sudden seizure onset.

Despite the development of new treatments, many patients still struggle to manage their seizures and accurately report them to their healthcare providers. All this highlights the urgent need for comprehensive epilepsy management solutions that can help bridge the gap in care and empower patients to live their lives to the fullest.

EpiHealth is a mobile application designed to enhance the management of epilepsy for individuals living with this condition. By integrating with popular wearable devices like Fitbit or Apple Watch, we leverage the power of biometric data, machine learning, and advanced analytics to provide users with comprehensive support and valuable insights.

Our primary goal is to empower users by proactively notifying them about potential seizure onsets. Continuous monitoring of biometric data through wearable devices allows us to detect patterns and indicators of a potential seizure. This early warning system allows users to take necessary precautions, modify their activities, and mitigate the risks associated with seizures.

EpiHealth goes beyond seizure detection by offering a seizure logging feature as well. Users can record their seizure events, as well as provide additional details like aura symptoms and other relevant information to create a comprehensive picture of their condition. This comprehensive seizure log becomes a valuable resource for users to better understand their triggers, identify patterns, and make informed decisions about their epilepsy management.

Additionally, EpiHealth enables data sharing between users and their healthcare providers. By securely sharing their seizure logs, biometric data, and additional information, users can work with their healthcare providers to optimize their care.

Smart watch product prototype: https://youtube.com/shorts/F66...

Our solution is designed to improve the lives of individuals living with epilepsy. We are hoping to make it particularly helpful for those who lack regular access to doctors and healthcare resources. This includes underserved populations in developing countries, and remote areas, who face limited access to healthcare services.

Currently, these individuals experience significant challenges in managing their condition, including a lack of accurate seizure forecasting, limited access to medical professionals, and a scarcity of personalized care options. Our solution aims to address these needs by providing technologies that enable remote monitoring, seizure detection, and personalized seizure management. 

Through partnerships with non-profit organizations and healthcare providers, we aim to extend our reach to underserved communities, providing them with the necessary tools and support to better manage their epilepsy. By leveraging technology and collaboration, we envision a future where individuals living with epilepsy, regardless of their geographical location or resources, can access high-quality care, improve their quality of life, and live with greater independence and confidence.

Growing up with a chronic illness, I understand the physical and emotional toll it takes on individuals and their families. Spending countless months in hospitals, I witnessed firsthand the isolation and challenges faced by patients, especially children, as they navigated their health conditions. These personal experiences left me with a deep sense of empathy and a strong desire to make a difference in the lives of those facing similar struggles.

During my university education, I actively engaged in healthcare-related projects that aimed to improve patient care and well-being. One such project was ZEBRA-inspired authentication (Zero-Effort Bilateral Recurring Authentication), where we developed a continuous authentication method using wearable devices that can be used to enhance the security of patient information during emergency alerts in hospitals. I also explored the use of robot companions in elderly care homes and for children on the autism spectrum, further deepening my understanding of the unique needs and challenges faced by diverse communities.

Later when I joined the AI4Good Lab, where the EpiHealth project originated, I met peers with similar values. We were all driven by a shared vision to develop a technical solution that addresses inequalities in the healthcare space. Our motivation stems from personal experiences of struggling to access healthcare services for ourselves or our loved ones. Each member of our team brought a unique perspective and set of experiences, having grown up in developing countries like Ukraine and Turkey. These diverse backgrounds have given us firsthand knowledge of the additional difficulties faced in developing countries regarding healthcare access.

To ensure our solution meets the specific needs of individuals with epilepsy, we conducted extensive research on existing seizure prediction methods and their limitations. Moreover, we engaged directly with individuals who have firsthand experience with epileptic seizures, including members of our own families. These interactions allowed us to gain a deep understanding of the daily challenges faced by individuals with epilepsy and guided our development process.

Our team's proximity to the communities we serve, combined with our technical expertise allowed us to design and develop EpiHealth. Our personal connection fuels our drive to create a meaningful impact. We empathize with the frustrations and fears that come with living with epilepsy and are committed to developing a solution that empowers individuals to manage their condition effectively, improve their quality of life, and enhance their overall well-being.

EpiHealth has evolved from an initial concept into a prototype, showing our progress and commitment to our vision. We have successfully trained a proof of concept model using a subset of patient data, provided by researchers working to address similar challenges. In addition to this, we have developed UI prototypes, refining the user experience and interface.

Recognizing the importance of validation within the startup ecosystem, we actively participated in a pitch competition hosted by the University of Toronto, where took first place in the early-stage category. This achievement not only highlights the viability of our solution but also serves as a testament to the dedication of our team.

To further develop our business competence we joined an early-stage startup program. Through this program, we had the opportunity to participate in a curriculum covering legal aspects specific to social enterprises, marketing strategies, and essential business fundamentals. 

Building on our achievements and growing expertise, we are currently in the process of incorporating our venture. This crucial step will provide us with the legal framework and foundation needed to accelerate our progress, secure additional resources, and develop partnerships that will push EpiHealth further to help patients living with epilepsy. 

Since we are in the prototype stage and actively working on setting up user data collection, we do not currently have any active users. However, we recognize the potential of our solution in serving a significant population of individuals living with epilepsy. Epilepsy affects millions of people worldwide, and our goal is to provide support, insights, and personalized management strategies to enhance their quality of life.

We are applying to MIT Solve firstly because we believe that one of the global challenges aligns perfectly with our vision and goals to address healthcare inequities for underserved populations. We also recognize the immense potential value it offers to our solution's development and impact.

It will be a huge boost for EpiHealth development to have access to MIT's support program, where we can receive guidance, mentorship, and connections to accelerate our progress, validate our impact, and scale our solution.

Specifically, we are seeking assistance in two key areas. First, we are looking for expertise in effectively collecting users' biometric data related to a health condition. Understanding best practices, ethical considerations, and privacy regulations is essential as we aim to gather substantial data to train our machine learning models and improve prediction accuracy.

Second, it will be extremely helpful for us to receive guidance on further refining our technical solution. Leveraging the knowledge within the Solve network, we aim to explore innovative approaches, optimize our algorithms, and further improve our solution to reach people in underserved areas where the access to data connection and technology might be limited.

The grant from Solve will provide vital financial support to advance our prototype into an application that has a potential helping millions of users worldwide.

By participating in MIT Solve, we believe we can unlock valuable resources and develop partnerships with non-profits, enabling us to extend our reach and make a difference in the lives of individuals with epilepsy.

EpiHealth takes a unique approach to addressing the challenges faced by epileptic patients. While existing seizure-detection apps like Nile and SeizAlarm have been valuable tools for monitoring the condition and notifying caregivers in the event of a seizure, they have limitations when it comes to addressing the lack of independence and inability to plan safely due to potential seizures.

To address these issues, EpiHealth is exploring seizure forecasting. By providing users with alerts about the possibility of a seizure before it occurs, EpiHealth aims to provide more autonomy and freedom for epileptic patients. This approach goes beyond what current seizure-detection apps are able to offer.

To further differentiate itself from competitors, EpiHealth plans to integrate stress and sleep-tracking features, as these are common triggers for seizures. By combining seizure forecasting with stress and sleep tracking, EpiHealth aims to provide even more personalized seizure prediction.

As a social venture, EpiHealth aims to give back to organizations such as the American Epilepsy Society by donating a portion of its funds to support ongoing epilepsy research. The integration of seizure forecasting and stress/sleep tracking has the potential to catalyze broader positive impacts and change the market by offering a more comprehensive approach to epilepsy management.

Our impact goal is to improve healthcare access and quality of life for epilepsy patients, particularly those in underserved and remote communities, through the use of wearable technology such as smart watches or fitness tracker.

Over the next year, we plan to launch our first version of EpiHealth and start building partnerships with epilepsy organizations and healthcare providers to promote the use of our solution. We also aim to collect sufficient data from users to train and refine our seizure forecasting algorithm, with the ultimate goal of achieving accurate and personalized seizure prediction for our users.

In the next five years, we envision EpiHealth becoming widely accessible to epilepsy patients around the world, particularly those in remote and underserved areas with limited access to healthcare services. To achieve this goal, we plan to collaborate with non-profits and government agencies to increase awareness of our solution and provide access to it to those who need it the most.

To address the issue of data access in remote areas, we are exploring potential partnerships with telemedicine providers to enable remote monitoring and guidance on seizure management. Additionally, we are investigating the use of alternative data transmission methods, such as satellite technology, to overcome connectivity issues to transmit user data.

Our long-term impact goal is to transform the way epilepsy is managed by providing patients with personalized and proactive seizure forecasting, enabling them to lead more independent and fulfilling lives.

To measure our progress toward our impact goals, we will be using several key performance indicators (KPIs) and evaluation metrics:

1. User Adoption: Tracking the number of users/caregivers who are using EpiHealth. This metric helps us assess the reach and acceptance of our solution. We can also add a voluntary demographic questionnaire to assess the impact on the underserved population. 

2. Seizure Forecasting Accuracy: We will evaluate the accuracy of our seizure forecasting algorithm by comparing the predicted seizures with the actual occurrences reported by users. This helps us refine and improve the effectiveness of our prediction model over time.

3. User Feedback and Satisfaction: We will collect feedback from users and their caregivers regarding their experience with EpiHealth. This includes their satisfaction with app's functionality, user experience, and the impact it has on their daily lives. User testimonials and surveys will provide valuable insights into the efficacy of our solution.

4. Partnerships and Collaborations: We will measure the number and quality of partnerships established with non-profit epilepsy organizations, healthcare providers, etc. The growth of our partnerships will be key to measure additional user acquisition, and the progress in serving vulnerable population.   

Activities: We develop and implement EpiHealth, a wearable device application that integrates seizure forecasting, detection, and personalized tracking of stress and sleep patterns for epilepsy patients.

Outputs: Through our activities, we provide users with a user-friendly and reliable tool for managing their epilepsy condition. Users can access real-time information about their seizure risk, receive alerts about their loved ones, and track their stress and sleep patterns, as well as aura symptoms. Having the access to the risk information will allow users to safely plan their day, and for their caregivers to know that their loved ones are in no risk of injury due to a seizure. 

Immediate Outcomes: By empowering individuals with accurate seizure forecasting and detection, we aim to enhance their ability to proactively manage their condition, regardless of their access to immediate medical support. With our remote monitoring capabilities, users in remote or underserved areas can receive guidance and support from healthcare professionals through the EpiHealth platform. This allows for timely interventions, adjustments to treatment plans, and ongoing care even when direct access to doctors is limited.

Longer-Term Outcomes: With improved seizure management and remote monitoring, we expect to see broader positive impacts on the lives of epilepsy patients, particularly those in underserved areas. They can benefit from consistent and comprehensive care, reduced risks of seizure-related accidents, and improved overall quality of life. By addressing the barriers to medical access, EpiHealth aims to bridge the gap in epilepsy care and provide equitable support to individuals who may face challenges in accessing timely medical assistance.

By expanding our reach to underserved populations, collaborating with non-profit organizations, and telemedicine platforms, we aim to maximize the impact of EpiHealth on those who may have limited access to immediate medical support. Through these efforts, we strive to empower epilepsy patients, regardless of their location, and transform their lives by providing them with the tools and support needed to effectively manage their condition.

The core technology that powers EpiHealth involves collecting specific biometrics data from popular wearable devices like Apple Watch or Fitbit. These devices are capable of gathering information such as electrodermal activity (EDA), peripheral body temperature, heart rate, and accelerometer/gyroscope data. 

We are planning to first use cloud services to support our seizure detection and prediction. The server-based approach gives us the ability to handle large amounts of data, however, in the future, we would like to explore on-edge prediction which will make it easier to serve vulnerable populations without consistent access to data. 

By leveraging wearable devices and server-based analysis, EpiHealth provides a comprehensive monitoring system for individuals with epilepsy. The combination of the user's biometrics data allows us to gain an understanding of the user's physiological state, as well as detect the pre-ictal stage of the seizure, which essentially means predicting a likelihood of a seizure. This enables us to provide personalized insights and alerts, empowering individuals to proactively manage their condition.

To fulfill our mission of enhancing healthcare access and improving quality of life for epilepsy patients, we are committed to integrating the JEDI framework into both our product and corporate practices. This ensures that our values of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion are upheld in all aspects of our venture. It is also crucial for the success of our venture to incorporate various cultural perspectives, multilingual support, and user feedback in order to provide users with the best possible epilepsy management solutions as well as build a support community for our users.

We can establish commitments for each aspect of the JEDI framework in the following ways:

Justice: Ensure that our epilepsy management solution is accessible and affordable for individuals, regardless of their socio-economic status or geographic location. Partner with healthcare organizations and nonprofits such as The Epilepsy Foundation to increase awareness and access to our solution, and offer payment plans for those in need.

Equity: Develop our solution with a focus on inclusivity and diversity, taking into account the varying needs and experiences of people with epilepsy from different backgrounds. Incorporate features such as multilingual support and culturally-sensitive content to better serve a diverse user base.

Diversity: Create a workplace culture that values and celebrates diversity in all forms. Encourage and support employee resource groups and diversity training programs to promote a more inclusive and welcoming environment.

Inclusion: Implement user feedback mechanisms to continuously improve our solution and prioritize user experience. Offer educational resources and support groups to connect users with the broader epilepsy community and promote a sense of belonging.

The business model for EpiHealth revolves around delivering value to the populations we serve, focusing on both impact and revenue. Our key customers are individuals living with epilepsy, as well as their healthcare providers and caregivers.

We provide a mobile app solution that empowers individuals with epilepsy to better manage their condition. Through our app, users gain access to features such as seizure forecasting, detection, stress tracking, and sleep monitoring. These functionalities allow users to assess their seizure risk, receive alerts, and gain insights into potential triggers, ultimately improving their ability to plan and manage their daily lives more effectively.

Our products and services are provided through a subscription-based model. Users will be able to download our app from the App Store or Google Play Store and choose to sign up for a subscription to unlock the full range of features and benefits. The subscription fee enables us to offer continuous support, regular updates, and maintenance to ensure a seamless user experience.

Individuals with epilepsy need our solution because it provides them with valuable tools to improve their quality of life. Our app empowers them to take control of their condition, increase their independence, and make informed decisions regarding their daily activities. By leveraging technology and data-driven insights, we aim to address the specific needs and challenges faced by individuals living with epilepsy.

The business model for EpiHealth is based on offering a subscription-based service to users. The app will be available for download on the App Store and Google Play Store, and users will need to sign up for a subscription to access the full range of features. The subscription model will enable us to offer ongoing support and maintenance, as well as regular updates to the app's features and capabilities. We will also explore potential partnerships with healthcare providers and insurance companies to expand our reach and offer more value to our users. 

Overall, even though there is an idea of charging a subscription fee for the full range of features, EpiHealth was originally founded as a social venture, and the goal is to eventually be able to give back some of the funds to the organizations like American Epilepsy Society to support ongoing epilepsy research.  

We received small monetary rewards for winning the pitch competition hosted by the University of Toronto, and for being selected to participate in Social Impact Catalyst program.