1. Novel methods for intensive care www.salwe.fi
SalWe’s Mind and Body Programme contains a research and development project
in which GE Healthcare Finland is developing easy ways for monitoring epileptic seizures
during intensive care.
Neuromonitoring – the missing piece An easy-to-use system
Among patients in intensive care, 30 percent suffer “We’ve initiated a project to develop an easy way of
from neurological problems. One in ten comatose monitoring epileptic seizures. Our aim is a system that
patients suffers epileptic seizures which, if prolonged, is suitable for continuous use,” says Kimmo Uutela,
are harmful to the brain and increase mortality. Principal Engineer at GE Healthcare Finland.
At present, ordinary intensive care units do not gener- Adds his colleague, Senior Research Scientist Mika
ally employ neurological monitoring. As a consequence, Särkelä: “The devices currently used for monitoring
problems are often not noticed in time. epileptic seizures were designed for diagnosis. To set
them up and interpret the results require special skills
and resources that are not often available in ordinary
intensive care units.”
SalWe - Strategic Center for Science, Technology and Innovation in Health and Well-being

2. Research goals Prototypes and testing
GE Healthcare is developing the technology and
building prototypes this year in the Mind and Body
Programme of SalWe. Commercialisation will be the
next stage.
Testing of the electrode headset began in the spring
at Meilahti hospital, Helsinki.
Strategic Innovation Centres
“We’ve tested the compatibility of our technology
with the MEG equipment of Elekta, another industrial
An electrode set that is easy to fit on the head. partner in the Mind and Body Programme. This seems
It must be suitable for continuous recording, to be an interesting direction for development,” says
lasting several days. Kimmo Uutela.
“Tekes funding, channelled via its programmes for
Strategic Centres of Science, Technology and Innova-
tion, obviously makes it easier for the Finnish division
of an international company to participate in this kind
of development work.”
An EEG recorder that can be integrated with patient
care monitors. Separate devices will not be required.
More information
Kimmo Uutela
principal engineer
GE Healthcare
kimmo.uutela@ge.com
+358 10 394 3353
Automatic detection of epileptic seizures.
Problems will be identified at the bedside Mika Särkelä
and data transmitted to experts for senior research scientist
GE Healthcare
remote consultation about the treatment
mika.sarkela@ge.com
required. +358 10 394 3347
SalWe - Strategic Center for Science, Technology and Innovation in Health and Well-being