Researchers using algorithms to predict epileptic seizures

Levin Kuhlmann, PhD, with Australia's University of Melbourne, said the team's evaluation revealed, on average, a 90 percent improvement in seizure prediction performance compared to previous results. Since the contest, researchers have developed the site Epilepsyecosystem.org, "Accurate seizure prediction will transform epilepsy management by offering early warnings to patients or triggering interventions," Kuhlmann said in the release. "Our results highlight the benefit of crowdsourcing an army of algorithms that can be trained for each patient and the best algorithm chosen for prospective, real-time seizure prediction. It's about bringing together the world's best data scientists and pooling the greatest algorithms to advance epilepsy research. The hope is to make seizures less like earthquakes, which can strike without warning, and more like hurricanes, where you have enough advance warning to seek safety."