Hackathon inspires health monitoring tech for paraplegic children

The technology solutions were developed during a ‘hackathon’ - a competitive event that gives developers a chance to build innovative applications, usually based on a particular theme. In this case, the event  - which took place at the firm's facility in Hursley near Winchester - was organised in response to Spinal Cord Awareness month, with three-year old Emerson Grant providing the test case for participating teams.

Emerson sustained a spinal cord injury at 18 months as the result of an arachnoid cyst, leaving him paralysed from the chest down, a situation that presents numerous challenges for his parents.

Emerson can’t cough or control his temperature, and his family need to ensure he does not overheat, as well as avoid letting colds turn into pneumonia or a severe chest infection. They must also be able to recognise if his autonomic (involuntary) nervous system becomes dangerously overstimulated. This could cause autonomic dysreflexia (AD), a serious condition requiring immediate attention.