The first prototypes of the flexible body sensor patches being developed in the SINTEC (Soft Intelligent Epidermal Communication Platform) project are ready and tested. This smart patch contains new techniques that offer many possibilities within the healthcare and sports sector.
SINTEC is a Horizon 2020 funded project that focuses on the development of flexible and wearable sensor patches. The project is being carried out by a consortium of eight partners, including Uppsala University as project coordinator and ST Microelectronics as sensor designer. The innovative sensor under development measures various biomechanical and physiological parameters. The sensors measure ECG, PPG, temperature, acceleration, rotation, and magnetometer, among other things. The main goal of the SINTEC project is to develop stretchable sensor technology that increases wearing comfort, minimizes the user’s restriction of movement, and can be worn under clothing. In addition, the encapsulation of the sensor ensures resistance to sweat and water. These innovations improve current monitoring solutions, where movements or sweating during sports lead to incorrect measurements.
The role of Evalan
Evalan is responsible for making a wearable (Figure 1) that collects the data from these body sensors and sends it directly to a web application without the intervention of additional equipment. This data is visualized and can be requested by the researchers via the web application for further analysis. This gateway can be worn on different body parts, such as the wrist, upper arm, belt, or pocket. This provides flexibility when testing the sensor and offers the user multiple options in terms of personal preference and comfort. The gateway uses a cellular modem with LTE-M and 2G capabilities to send the body sensor data directly to the cloud. By enabling direct data transfer to the cloud, the device has coverage everywhere and monitors continuously in real-time. The gateway can be used as a stand-alone device and works out-of-the-box without installing additional software and/or hardware.
Test and follow-up
Together with our partners, we are working on a complete solution that works immediately and minimizes the time required to set up a pilot study. To demonstrate the benefits of the new technology, SINTEC will apply it in a clinical setting and during the evaluation of athletic performance. The prototypes of the flexible sensor technology have been developed and tested with humans. This test went well and provided insights for an extension of the sensor, such as measuring more physical parameters.
