A new research project from Dublin City University (DCU) which aims to develop a seizure-predicting dog collar has received just under half a million euro in funding from the Science Foundation Ireland Research Ireland Frontiers for the Future Programme.
The project is being led by Professor Alan Smeaton and Tomás Ward of Insight DCU and aims to build on previous work on the role dogs can play in detecting seizures, including Epilepsy Ireland funded research by Dr. Neil Powell of Queens University Belfast.
Dr. Powell’s research found that untrained pet dogs can display seizure-alerting behaviours when exposed to seizure-related odours. More on this research, published in 2021 can be found by visiting the ‘News’ section of our website.
This new project by DCU will team up man’s best friend with cutting-edge technology to develop wearable sensors for dogs which it is hoped will support patients with epilepsy. The wearable collar will aim to automatically capture a dog’s behavioural changes/movements in real time when exposed to a pre-seizure scent. Using machine learning, an alert will then be transmitted to the person with epilepsy to warn them of an impending seizure.
In theory, this should allow a person with epilepsy some time to either alert a caregiver or get themselves into a safe space to minimise risk of seizure-related injuries.
There is a huge interest within the epilepsy community on how technology can be used to help warn of a seizure – and equally, there is also huge interest in similar approaches using dogs, particularly since the Epilepsy Ireland funded study referenced above.
A reliable method of seizure prediction and detection is the holy grail for many people living with epilepsy as well as the parents of children with the condition. This is especially the case where seizures involve the loss of consciousness, with a high risk of injury – this is why we are delighted to see the project receive such significant support and hope it will lead to significant developments in this area.
The project has received a total of €492,516.50 from Research Ireland and will involve cross-collaboration amongst several organisations and centres – including the Research Centre for Data Analytics at DCU, Irish Dogs for the Disabled and Beaumont Hospital.
Epilepsy Ireland are also collaborating on the project, and we look forward to engaging with the research team as the project progresses. We will provide further updates when available on our website and social media channels.
Further information on this project can be found by visiting the ‘Insight’ website.
If you or your family member need any support or information on your journey with epilepsy, please contact your local Community Resource Officer. You can find their details by visiting the ‘Our Local Services’ section of our website.