New IoT development project for monitoring intake tube feeding

The European innovation program Eureka has started a new project, of which Evalan is part. For 3 years, 18 organizations from different countries will work working together intensively on this FoodFriend project to develop and improve technologies that measure the influence of food on the human body. This concerns both the intake of food and its absorption by the body.

Part of the project focuses on tube feeding for people who cannot eat independently because, for example, they have a certain illness, have difficulty swallowing or have undergone an operation that makes eating and drinking impossible. Until now, this system has been limited and it is not clear what happens to the body when the patient receives tube feeding. In the FoodFriend project, a number of solutions are being realized by means of a digitization step that will help these patients better and provide healthcare professionals with more insight into real-time intake.

Measuring variables in the human body
During the project, real-time connectivity is added to the feed pump to monitor the intake, identify faults and control the flow of feed. In this project, Evalan focuses on measuring variables in the human body, such as temperature, respiration, oxygen saturation and heart rate. The measurement data of these variables makes it easier to determine whether the body responds to tube feeding. Instead of periodic measurements, this solution allows a patient to be continuously monitored, enabling caregivers to provide even better guidance to the patient.

Technology adds value
In this project, technology can add value to tube feeding device and the care provided with it. This is also underlined by the fact that the Dutch government co-finances the FoodFriend project.