Innovative glasses have been designed to protect individuals from seizure-triggering light, providing a potential new layer of safety for epilepsy patients during everyday activities and entertainment.
Individuals with photosensitive epilepsy may soon benefit from a groundbreaking pair of glasses designed to block light wavelengths that are known to trigger seizures.
Researchers from the University of Glasgow and the University of Birmingham have created a prototype liquid crystal lens that could help lower the risk of seizures. Their study, published in Cell Reports Physical Science, emphasizes the potential of this technology to enhance the lives of individuals with photosensitive epilepsy.
Groundbreaking Technology for Seizure Prevention
The lenses function by reacting to minor temperature changes, a key feature built into their design. When triggered, they block more than 98% of light in the 660-720nm wavelength range frequencies most likely to trigger seizures in photosensitive individuals.
“This is an incredibly exciting project that felt like something out of science fiction when we first started four years ago,” said Zubair Ahmed, Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Birmingham and co-author of the study. “This paper showcases the potential of liquid crystal lenses that can be adjusted to filter out specific light wavelengths.”
Leveraging Technology for Epilepsy Management
The prototype demonstrates how a small circuit integrated into the frame of a pair of glasses can power these lenses, making them useful in situations where certain light wavelengths are likely to induce a seizure, such as when watching TV or playing video games. The circuit heats the lenses to a comfortable temperature for the wearer, effectively blocking over 98% of light in wavelengths that can trigger seizures.
Rami Ghannam, Professor of Electronics at the University of Glasgow and lead author of the study, said, “This project highlights how collaboration across disciplines such as engineering, neuroscience, and mathematics can lead to breakthroughs that have the potential to significantly improve the lives of patients affected by various conditions.”
Upcoming Developments and Enhancements
“We are currently working to further refine this prototype to enhance its performance before advancing to human studies.”
The researchers mentioned that the current prototype functions effectively in rooms with temperatures up to 26°C, but additional adjustments will be necessary to make the technology suitable for use in hotter environments. The team also noted that the time required for the prototype to heat up and cool down could be optimized.
Reference: “Thermal-controlled cholesteric liquid crystal wavelength filter lens for photosensitive epilepsy treatment” by Yuanjie Xia, Zubair Ahmed, Affar Karimullah, Nigel Mottram, Hadi Heidari, and Rami Ghannam, 20 August 2024, Cell Reports Physical Science.
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