EpilepsyNCT03206502
Embrace: Seizure Characterization
A study testing Embrace + Alert App in people with Epilepsy, run by Empatica, Inc..
Trial summary
The study is intended to characterize sleep, stress, and seizures in daily life with the Empatica Embrace watch and smartphone-based diary-alert system. The primary study objective is to collect and validate biometric signals from epilepsy patients using the Empatica Embrace watch and compare them to ictal events… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 1 year to 99 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Epilepsy
- What is being tested?
- Embrace + Alert App
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 100,000 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- May 2016to May 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 1 year to 99 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Participants must be between the ages of 1-99
- Anyone (healthy or not) can participate
- Adult participant must either be able to give consent or must have an acceptable surrogate capable of giving consent on their behalf.
- Participants under age 18 must have an adult guardian give informed consent, and if capable, the patient must give informed assent.
- Participants with GTCS must have a functioning smartphone (iOS or Android) that can be paired with the Embrace over a Bluetooth Low Energy connection and agree that it can be kept on or near their person.
- Participants with GTCS (or their surrogate) must be able to identify one or more "designated frequent caregivers," who has a functioning phone, agrees to keep it regularly charged, agrees to receive alerts, and agrees to respond to alerts promptly to the best of their ability.
- Participants must be fluent in the language of the consent forms (Currently limited to English but Spanish and other languages are planned).
- Participants must reside in the United States.
Who cannot join
- Participants must not have broken or injured skin at the wrist or leg location where Embrace is worn, and they must be able to tolerate wearing Embrace snugly for long periods of time. Thus, they should not have allergies to the material composition of the Embrace watch, or discomfort wearing a wristwatch or leg-band device.
- Participants should not be homeless.
- Participants should not have active dependence on substances that are not currently prescribed by their doctor (e.g. alcohol, pain medications, illegal drugs) or be taking substances that they are not willing to disclose as a study participant.
- Participants must not be pregnant or planning to become pregnant within six months at the time of screening.
About this study
Official title: Characterizing Sleep, Stress, and Seizures in Daily Life: An Internet-based Study With the Empatica Embrace Watch and Smartphone-based Diary-alert System
The study is intended to characterize sleep, stress, and seizures in daily life with the Empatica Embrace watch and smartphone-based diary-alert system. The primary study objective is to collect and validate biometric signals from epilepsy patients using the Empatica Embrace watch and compare them to ictal events captured from human (patient and caregiver) reports.
Read the detailed description
Patients use the Embrace sensor with a smartphone app, "Alert". The sensor attempts to capture convulsive seizure events such as generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS's), and to initiate an alert when such an event is captured. Patients can also enter seizures (captured or not, GTCS or not) into the "Mate" diary, and they can cancel or mark false alarms if Embrace triggered a false alarm.
- Conditions
- Epilepsy
- Being tested
- Embrace + Alert App
- Medical subject headings
- Epilepsy
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Embrace + Alert AppDevice
Participants will wear an Embrace smartwatch to collect data, and will provide survey/diary information on the occurrence of seizures. The device sends data to the Alert app, which issues either true detections or false alarms when it detects a possible convulsive seizure. Participants are asked to either cancel (in real time) or mark (at a later time) all false alarms using the Alert app.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Embrace+Alert App | Experimental | Participants are allowed to enter the trial (to use Embrace+Alert app) whether or not they have epilepsy. People without epilepsy may use Alert in this trial even though they are not expected to have seizures, as long as they are willing to mark false positives. Since many people with epilepsy live active lives and appear perfectly healthy outwardly, it is important that their active lifestyle data not trigger false alarms. Allowing healthy participants without epilepsy to contribute active lifestyle data helps us make the detection algorithm even stronger and better. Receives: Device: Embrace + Alert App |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Sensitivity of the GTCS detection of the Embrace + Alert app
The number of GTCS automatically detected by Embrace will be compared to the total recorded by the wearer+caregiver in a seizure diary. This fraction is the sensitivity.
Measured: The primary outcome is assessed continuously over the trial period (each new seizure is counted and summed for each person; the average time period is 6 months)
Secondary outcomes (1)
False alarm rate of the GTCS detection of the Embrace + Alert app
The number of alerts elicited by Embrace+Alert app that do NOT correspond to convulsive seizures marked in the seizure diary are "false alarms". False alarms can also be explicitly marked by patients.
Measured: The secondary outcome is assessed continuously over the trial period (each false alarm is counted and summed for a running total within each person; the average time period is 6 months)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted2 Jul 2017
- Study startMay 2016
- Primary completionMay 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionMay 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for EpilepsyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Diagnosis
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 100,000 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Empatica, Inc.
- Sponsor type
- Industry (pharma, biotech, devices)
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03206502
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2016-001
- Status last verified
- Aug 2020
- First submitted
- 21 Nov 2016
- Last updated
- 24 Aug 2020
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- Yes
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 24 Aug 2020. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Characterizing Sleep, Stress, and Seizures in Daily Life: An Internet-based Study With the Empatica Embrace Watch and Smartphone-based Diary-alert System
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03206502
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2016-001
- Conditions
- Epilepsy
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Unknown status
- Enrolment
- 100,000 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Empatica, Inc.Industry (pharma, biotech, devices)
- Study start
- May 2016
- Primary completion
- May 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- May 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 2 Jul 2017 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The study is intended to characterize sleep, stress, and seizures in daily life with the Empatica Embrace watch and smartphone-based diary-alert system. The primary study objective is to collect and validate biometric signals from epilepsy patients using the Empatica Embrace watch and compare them to ictal events captured from human (patient and caregiver) reports.
Detailed description
Patients use the Embrace sensor with a smartphone app, "Alert". The sensor attempts to capture convulsive seizure events such as generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS's), and to initiate an alert when such an event is captured. Patients can also enter seizures (captured or not, GTCS or not) into the "Mate" diary, and they can cancel or mark false alarms if Embrace triggered a false alarm.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Diagnosis
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Embrace+Alert App | Experimental | Device: Embrace + Alert AppParticipants are allowed to enter the trial (to use Embrace+Alert app) whether or not they have epilepsy. People without epilepsy may use Alert in this trial even though they are not expected to have seizures, as long as they are willing to mark false positives. Since many people with epilepsy live active lives and appear perfectly healthy outwardly, it is important that their active lifestyle data not trigger false alarms. Allowing healthy participants without epilepsy to contribute active lifestyle data helps us make the detection algorithm even stronger and better. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 1 year to 99 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Participants must be between the ages of 1-99
- Anyone (healthy or not) can participate
- Adult participant must either be able to give consent or must have an acceptable surrogate capable of giving consent on their behalf.
- Participants under age 18 must have an adult guardian give informed consent, and if capable, the patient must give informed assent.
- Participants with GTCS must have a functioning smartphone (iOS or Android) that can be paired with the Embrace over a Bluetooth Low Energy connection and agree that it can be kept on or near their person.
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Participants must not have broken or injured skin at the wrist or leg location where Embrace is worn, and they must be able to tolerate wearing Embrace snugly for long periods of time. Thus, they should not have allergies to the material composition of the Embrace watch, or discomfort wearing a wristwatch or leg-band device.
- Participants should not be homeless.
- Participants should not have active dependence on substances that are not currently prescribed by their doctor (e.g. alcohol, pain medications, illegal drugs) or be taking substances that they are not willing to disclose as a study participant.
- Participants must not be pregnant or planning to become pregnant within six months at the time of screening.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Embrace + Alert AppParticipants will wear an Embrace smartwatch to collect data, and will provide survey/diary information on the occurrence of seizures. The device sends data to the Alert app, which issues either true detections or false alarms when it detects a possible convulsive seizure. Participants are asked to either cancel (in real time) or mark (at a later time) all false alarms using the Alert app. | Device | Embrace+Alert App |
Primary outcome
Sensitivity of the GTCS detection of the Embrace + Alert app
Time frame: The primary outcome is assessed continuously over the trial period (each new seizure is counted and summed for each person; the average time period is 6 months)
The number of GTCS automatically detected by Embrace will be compared to the total recorded by the wearer+caregiver in a seizure diary. This fraction is the sensitivity.
1 secondary outcome
False alarm rate of the GTCS detection of the Embrace + Alert app
Time frame: The secondary outcome is assessed continuously over the trial period (each false alarm is counted and summed for a running total within each person; the average time period is 6 months)
Results and safety
Results are not available in the source record.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 24 Aug 2020.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Embrace + Alert App in people with Epilepsy, run by Empatica, Inc..
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 8 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: status not confirmed, as of the sponsor's last update on 24 Aug 2020. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Results are not available in the source record.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Sensitivity of the GTCS detection of the Embrace + Alert app (time frame: The primary outcome is assessed continuously over the trial period (each new seizure is counted and summed for each person; the average time period is 6 months)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 24 Aug 2020; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 27 Oct 2026.