Long term Video/EEG monitoring has been established as a valuable, clinically relevant procedure for the evaluation of patients with seizure disorders. In general, long term Video/EEG monitoring refers to the practice of continually monitoring and recording the EEG and television image of a patient in the hospital with the aim of correlating brain activity with clinical behavior. Historically, during the period roughly from 1978 to 1987, long term epilepsy monitoring was usually limited to 8 or 16 channels of EEG and radio telemetry was often the preferred method of acquiring the patient's EEG. Modern EEG recording techniques require referential recording with up to 32 channels and twelve bit accuracy in order to afford remontaging of the acquired data. The proposed activity will develop a combination of radio (2,400 MHz spread spectrum) and infra- red (diffuse propagation in a single room) telemetry products intended for long term EEG monitoring which will meet modern requirements: 32 channels, referential recording, 12 bit precision and 200 Hz sample rate. The development will include a camera tracking system to provide video monitoring of an ambulatory patient in an unmanned setting. The development activity will span a two year period.
Immediate clinical application can be found in centers now using cable telemetry for EEG monitoring. Other applications include circadian rhythm research and all research needs that monitor multiple biological parameters in an ambulatory setting.
