Empatica’s Embrace is a novel wearable device trying to find its place under the Sun. It’s quiet, small, with a weeks-long lasting battery; and will help measure stress, epileptic seizures, as well as activity and sleep (like other wearables do).

When people that have epilepsy wear Embrace, they will get an alert when an unusual event happens, like a convulsive seizure. It will go via their smartphone to parents, roommates or caregivers, so somebody can check on them. Additionally, one of these caregivers can wear a twin Embrace too. When the two Embraces are within range, the twin Embrace worn by the caregivers will vibrate to alert them.

When people that have epilepsy wear Embrace, they will get an alert when an unusual event happens, like a convulsive seizure.The device measures electrodermal activity, or EDA, which is autonomic data activated by regions deep in the brain involved in emotions such as fear, anxiety, and positive excitement. It is strongly activate during the kinds of seizures that involve a region of the brain that has been shown to shut down breathing.

Embrace can run multiple apps and do so in real time, sending data wirelessly to the connected phone. At launch, it will have two apps: an event detector for people suffering with epilepsy, and an alert for detecting the growth of one’s EDA to a level user has previously specified to provide personal stress feedback. The accompanying app will have a diary feature that helps users better understand their daily lives.

To turn Embrace into a real-world product, Empatica has partnered with the Epilepsy Foundation and private donors, and has also turned to crowdfunding on Indiegogo to raise $100,000. Right now all single Embrace units are gone, and users can also buy them in pairs, which come with a price tag of $329. Check it out.