This post is part of a series that highlights equipment from the Northeast Arc’s Assistive Technology Lending Library
SAMi is a sleep activity monitor that uses a camera and app to monitor a person’s sleep. The camera detects unusual movements that may be associated with medical issues like seizures. The app offers a range of customizations to reduce false alarms and calibrate monitoring to the individual’s presentation of symptoms. When the system detects movement that meets the user’s alert settings, it can notify a caregiver and show live video and audio, so they can decide whether further medical attention is needed.
Not only can SAMi alert caregivers of the occurrence of seizures, but the camera is also equipped to record events so they can be shared with medical professionals. This feature is especially useful in catching changes in seizures that would otherwise go unnoticed. However, SAMi is not equipped to detect all seizure activity, namely seizures with little or no movement, seizures where movement lasts less the 5 seconds, and it cannot monitor biometrics like heart rate or body temperature. Although SAMi is not suitable for all cases, it can help families and teams notice, respond to, and document nighttime events as part of a larger care plan.
