Two Friends Build Patch to Predict Epileptic Seizures

When Truman Pierson watched his infant cousin Noa get diagnosed with epilepsy, he saw his aunt stay up all night watching for seizures, documenting every symptom in spreadsheets for doctors. That sleepless vigilance sparked an idea that could change life for 50 million people worldwide.

Pierson and his childhood friend Christopher Fitz, both 23, decided to build something bold: a wearable device that predicts epileptic seizures before they happen. No more waiting in fear. No more surprise attacks.

The problem is bigger than most people realize. Epilepsy ranks among the world's most common neurological disorders, and people living with it face three times the risk of premature death compared to the general population. Yet experts believe proper treatment could help 70 percent of patients live seizure-free lives.

Traditional hospital tests can only detect seizures when they're actually happening, requiring hours in clinical settings with head wraps and gels applied by medical experts. Patients lose independence and still can't predict when the next seizure will strike.

Fitz heard firsthand how this uncertainty shadows every decision. A mentor at Vanderbilt University who experiences seizures only every few months told him she still thinks about epilepsy daily, constantly considering whether concerts or outings with friends are safe. "That really drove home for us the general anxiety that a lot of patients live under," Fitz says.

The friends founded Theta Neurotech in 2022 and spent the next year perfecting their vision. After testing 20 different versions, they created two fingernail-sized patches that stick behind each ear like stickers. The patches read electrical signals from the brain's temporal lobes, the same way hospital equipment does, but they're soft, flexible, and simple enough to use at home.

Research shows the brain enters a detectable "pre-ictal phase" hours before a seizure begins. The patches pick up these warning signs and stream data to a paired app, giving patients precious time to prepare or prevent the episode entirely.

Why This Inspires

The inventors didn't chase "cool tech" for its own sake. They built something that answers a daily prayer for millions of families who live with epilepsy's unpredictability.

Their device transforms fear into freedom, replacing sleepless nights and constant worry with advance warning and real control. For Pierson's aunt, it means she might finally sleep through the night. For Fitz's mentor, it means saying yes to life without always calculating risk.

The first version will be disposable, with wirelessly rechargeable versions coming later, putting hospital-grade monitoring within reach of ordinary people living ordinary lives.