I wonder if this can be calibrated for those of us that already have brain damage so it could measure new brain damage?
Would this new one be any better than these 17 ways for objective diagnosis.
http://www.cnet.com/news/samsung-prototypes-brainwave-reading-wearable-stroke-detector/
A group of Samsung engineers have come up with a plan to harness the
power of your phone or tablet to warn you of an impending stroke. By
monitoring your brainwaves the system would detect the early signs of a
stroke, and could one day be built into your glasses to keep you safe
all the time.
A stroke happens when the blood supply to part of
your brain is cut off by a clot or damaged by a bleed, which causes
brain cells in the affected area to die. According to the World Health
Organisation, 15 million people across the world suffer from a stroke
each year. Around 66 per cent of those people die or are left with
permanent physical disabilities.
To combat the problem, five Samsung engineers have come up with a prototype system called Early Detection Sensor & Algorithm Package
(EDSAP). There are two parts to the system: a headset, covered in
sensors that record electrical impulses in the brain; and a mobile app,
in which an algorithm analyses the brainwaves and, in less than a
minute, determines the likelihood of a stroke.
The project started
two years ago when a group of Samsung smartphone and washing machine
engineers fancied a change and banded together to look at the problem of
stroke. Despite doctors being "dismissive", the engineers decided to
take the project to Samsung's Creativity Lab, or C-Lab. C-Lab helps
Samsung employees turn creative or quirky ideas into potentially
commercial products.
The Samsung team
reckon they've improved on current medical methods with the headset,
which is made from a conductive and comfortable rubber-like material
that doesn't require a saline solution rubbed onto your head.
In
theory, the rubber material is versatile enough to make other things
instead of a headset -- for example, sensors could be put into hairpins
or eyeglasses so you can wear them all the time and monitor your
brainwaves constantly.
As well as providing an early warning about
the possibility of a stroke, the system can analyse stress and sleep
patterns. The principles of EDSAP could also potentially be used to
monitor electrocardiograms -- heartbeats -- so the team is looking at
how the technology could be used to monitor your heart.
However,
EDSAP is still at the very earliest stages, with clinical trials among
the steps to be taken before EDSAP technology is ready for the public.
"Stroke
is not inevitable," says Joe Korner, Director of External Affairs at
the Stroke Association. "In many cases there are simple steps people can
take to reduce their risk of stroke such as keeping their blood
pressure under control, eating a balanced diet and exercising more.
Anyone with any concerns about their risk of stroke should have a chat
with their GP."
When someone has a stroke it's vital they receive
emergency medical treatment as soon as possible. "If you think someone
is having a stroke," advises Korner, "you can use the FAST test to
recognise the signs:
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