Smart Scots at Global showcase for groundbreaking inventions

The lives of people with Epilepsy and Parkinsons could soon be changed thanks to the creative brilliance of Glasgow graduates

Callum Leitch has created an ear-piece that can warn epilepsy sufferers when an attack is about to occur
Published 9th Nov 2020

Several Glasgow graduates will display groundbreaking inventions at a global showcase starting today.

Callum Leitch, Chiara Rossi and Callum Ferguson all recently graduated from higher education in the city and have been chosen from thousands of applicants to be three of the final 100 at the Global Grad Show.

Normally the event is held in Dubai but due to Coronavirus it is being held remotely online over the coming months.

Callum Leitch and Chiara's inventions are medically-based while Callum Ferguson has focused his attention on an environmentally friendly creation.

The former has developed an ear-piece that is able to warn epilepsy sufferers when a seizure is imminent.

The piece, that fits snuggly in the ear and is supported by a hearing-aid like device behind it, is small and vibrates to alert the user.

Callum, 24, was inspired to work on the idea as his friend Murray lived with epilepsy. He sadly passed away while the prototype was in the development stage.

Although Callum, who's from Edinburgh, has faith in the product and expects it to become part of life for sufferers, he says it won't be available for a few years yet.

He told Radio Clyde: "Sensors are placed around the head to monitor brainwave activity, but my product is placed in the ear to make it less obtrusive for the user.

"Your data is transferred to a phone via bluetooth which then interprets your data to work when a seizure is going to occur.

"The piece behind the ear vibrates to allow the user to tell, and this can be tuned to be sensitive and short term or longer term, because everyone is affected differently.

"Everyone needs a unique solution and I think this can offer that."

He continued: "It's groundbreaking. I'm not the one who will deliver the final product but once this technology does develop, and it will take between five to 10 years, then it will be life changing for those that need it.

Chiara, from Coatbridge, has endeavoured to form a belt for Parkinsons sufferers that reduces the chance of them falling over during episodes known as "freezing".

She told us: "There are a couple of products out there that aim to help the user once they've already frozen, which help them get moving again, but there's nothing on the market that tracks their walking and actually predicts freezing before it occurs.

"That move from a reactive product to a preventative one could be massive and not only improve the mobility of millions of people but their general quality of life.

"Freezing of gait is a specific symptom, when the brain stops sending signals to the lower half of the body and people become frozen on the spot.

"My product, Cammino, aims to prevent this as it can lead to serious falls. It monitors their walking pattern via sensors in the shoe and detects when they're leading up to a freezing episode, and then subsequently activates electrical stimulants to their muscles to keep them moving."

There's an emotional reason behind Chiara's efforts too, she explained: "My papa lived with Parkinsons for nearly 10 years and I was very close to him.

"Seeing him struggle over the years means its an issue close to my heart and I became passionate about creating a better solution for people like him."

Callum Ferguson has made it his mission to "empower the world's poor communities and individuals that have been victims of plastic pollution" with his product Plastibank.

Plastibank’s product - the Exchange Machine - allows users to participate in a material stock market where they can deposit their plastic waste and receive financial credit in return.

Users gather plastic waste into bags or containers which Plastibank sorts into the appropriate plastic family and shreds into smaller granules. These are weighed on the Exchange Machine which connects directly connects to the new material stock market, stating the price for that weight of plastic and transferring that amount to the individual’s Plastibank account.

A fourth Scottish graduate, Rachel Naysmith from Aberdeen has also worked on an eco-friendly idea and is in the final 100 as well.

More than 40 countries are represented at the event, the world's most diverse gathering of ideas for social impact.