A group of Samsung engineers is looking to rely on modern mobile technologies to warn users of an impending stroke. The technology, still in development, monitors user’s brainwaves to detect the early signs of a stroke, and could one day be built into smart glasses.

A stroke happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off by a clot or damaged by a bleed, which causes brain cells in the affected area to die.

Aside from warning of impending stroke, the EDSAP could also be used to monitor stress and sleep patterns, as well as one’s heart.To tackle this problem, five Samsung engineers have come up with a prototype system called Early Detection Sensor & Algorithm Package (EDSAP). Said system consists of two parts to the: a headset covered in sensors that record electrical impulses in the brain; and a mobile app, which analyses the brainwaves and, in less than a minute, determines the likelihood of a stroke.

The project started two years ago when a group of engineers took the project to Samsung’s Creativity Lab, or C-Lab, which helps Samsung employees turn creative or quirky ideas into potentially commercial products.

The team claims their system is better than current medical methods as it includes the headset made from a conductive and comfortable rubber-like material that doesn’t require a saline solution rubbed onto one’s head.

Aside from warning of impending stroke, the EDSAP could also be used to monitor stress and sleep patterns, as well as one’s heart.

According to the World Health Organization, 15 million people across the world suffer from a stroke each year. Around 66% of those people die or are left with permanent physical disabilities.

[Via: CNet]