From Idea to Product: Medical Sensing & Analytics

The collection of robust and reliable medical data is essential for informed decision-making throughout the entire healthcare process and for health and wellbeing applications. Our approach to developing medical sensing and data analysis solutions is tailored to meet the specific needs of each application, from idea to product.

As the use cases below illustrate, the integration of medical sensors into existing systems and everyday objects offers major benefits. We ensure high data quality, even in challenging conditions such as during movement. Here are some highlights of our medical sensing solutions:

• Non-invasive: Miniaturized sensor systems can monitor health without invasive procedures, operating efficiently in terms of energy consumption.
• Wearable Technology: Innovations in wearable sensors enable effortless tracking of fitness and health metrics. With integrated signal processing and wireless communication, these devices enhance user-friendliness, leading to increased compliance.
• Real-time Monitoring: Continuous health data from sensors allows for timely interventions, improving medical care by measuring parameters in everyday situations.
• Data Integration: Sensor data can seamlessly integrate with smartphone interfaces and health apps, providing easy access to personal health information and facilitating remote patient monitoring.
• Rapid prototyping: In our R&D projects, we focus on quick development and cost-effective prototypes. Prior to creating functional prototypes, we conduct measurement campaigns, pilot studies, proof-of-concept evaluations, and subject studies to assess the technology.

From the initial idea to the final product, we provide comprehensive infrastructure and laboratories equipped with medical reference systems, conducting validation studies in collaboration with clinical partners.

Here are some examples of reference projects that showcase the successful implementation of our sensor technologies.

Wireless communication: Portable, decentralized sensor network

Measurement options for bio-signals using built-in sensors in everyday objects or wearables are highly diverse. Depending on the application scenario, we often require multiple signals, particularly in applied research and the expanding field of personalized healthcare. This raises the issue of data synchronization and, with regard to the data acquisition set-up, subject mobility and comfort.

Fraunhofer maphera^® is the one-for-all solution, making plug-and-research data acquisition possible. The Bluetooth-based, decentralized measurement system of maphera^® facilitates the flexible integration of measurement technology depending on the application case.

Learn more about maphera^® in our clock drift and synchronization series.

Satellite communication with wearables: SatWear

With advancements in the miniaturization of electronics, satellite communication (satcom) terminals have become more compact and efficient, requiring minimal power. This progress paves the way for integrating satcom modules into our daily lives, for example in the shape of wearables that can communicate directly with satellites. While the merging of wearables and satellite communication offers promising opportunities, viable use cases need to be identified first, as this area is still relatively new. To explore this combination of technologies, the European Space Agency (ESA) has funded the project “SatWear”.

The goal was to identify services that can utilize wearable satcom within the next five years, while also taking into account market, regulatory, and economic aspects, among others. Combining satellite communication with mobile networks is particularly beneficial, given that smartphones have limited functionality in locations that lack mobile communication infrastructure. Wearable systems using satellite communication can transmit sensor data and other information even in remote areas.

From the potential scenarios for wearable satcom, five use cases were developed into proof-of-concept demonstrators, utilizing one of two satcom technologies: Iridium as a well-established system and Fraunhofer’s mioty® technology, which represents a low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) protocol designed for IoT applications:

• SatBikeHelmet: An Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) detects a fall event and automatically sends an emergency message to dispatchers via mioty®.
• Search and Rescue: By integrating wearables into their gear, individuals in emergencies – such as skiers, surfers, or search and rescue teams – can send an emergency message with their coordinates to a base station using a Qwiic Iridium 9603N module.
• Live Troop: This system transmits positional and heart rate data of soldiers or emergency personnel via the mioty® module.
• Galileo Safari: Assists safari tourists in locating animals, protecting vulnerable species, and optionally tracking biological signals using a mioty® module.
• Geofencing: A wearable device helps preserve wildlife and natural sites by notifying rangers and tourists when they enter restricted areas. Positional data is transmitted using a RockBlock9602 Iridium module.

For more information on the integration of satcom into, download our poster.

Touch-sensitive textile surfaces: Automotive health

Driving for hours not only affects the concentration of long-distance truck drivers, but also leads to a lack of movement – something they share with office workers. What are potential consequences? Back pain and a stiff neck, often resulting from the uneven strain on the spine and muscles. If this behavior persists (which is bound to happen in these professional groups), it can lead to poor posture and increased muscle tension.

To mitigate the effects of long sitting, we developed a “Smart Chair” technology demonstrator. The working principle is similar to that of a smartphone touchscreen. It features 72 sensors that register and measure every movement in real time. The capacitive motion sensors were integrated into the textile, combining inconspicuous sensor technology for capturing body movements with robust algorithms for movement mapping and interpretation.

The Smart Chair operates in two modes:

• Analysis mode: Captured data is saved, and activity parameters are calculated offline to quantify the movement behavior of the seated individual.
• Real-time mode: The system is used as a standardized input device to control and serves as a human-machine interface. For example, it allows computer inputs (e.g., mouse movements) through the movement of the upper body or it can playfully encourage movements while sitting.

In both modes, sensor data is transmitted via Bluetooth to a computer, where weight distribution can additionally be visualized using false color imaging.

This miniaturized sensor technology and analytical electronics can be integrated into various seating and lying surfaces. The low sensor height of approximately 0.5 mm and the slim design allow natural comfort, while the surfaces remain breathable. When integrated into seating furniture or vehicle seats, for example, textile-integrated sensing can help prevent musculoskeletal disorders and encourage physical movement during rehabilitation.

Note: The Smart Chair has not yet been certified as a medical product. Fraunhofer IIS is presenting the Smart Chair with the aim of engaging partners to further develop, manufacture, and market it (see here for more details).

Textile integration: CardioTEXTIL

Cardiac arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation, are a growing health issue worldwide. Early detection of cardiac arrhythmias is a key factor for effective treatment and the prevention of late complications. However, currently available diagnostic tools either require an implant or offer only limited monitoring periods. Due to the sporadic nature of some cardiac events, they often go unnoticed by patients and may not be detected by a 24-hour ECG, making early diagnosis challenging.

CardioTEXTIL is a mobile multi-channel ECG that aids in the early detection of cardiac arrhythmias. Its textile-based dry electrodes enable comfortable, continuous monitoring for days, weeks, or even months – with medical-grade quality. Unlike traditional long-term ECG systems, CardioTEXTIL provides easy donning and doffing, with no cables and no adhesive electrodes, and features washable textiles. Cardiovascular risk patients can wear CardioTEXTIL during their daily activities and even while sleeping, facilitating early detection of arrhythmias and other cardiovascular conditions.

Note: CardioTEXTIL has not yet been certified as a medical product. Fraunhofer IIS is presenting it with the aim of engaging partners to further develop, manufacture, and market it.

Analysis of bio-signals: Smart Home

Integrating medical sensing technology into the home represents a significant advancement in the journey toward personalized care. With continuous health monitoring, individuals can experience peace of mind, knowing that their health is being tracked without the hassle of frequent clinic visits. Real-time data analysis not only allows for the effective management of a wide range of chronic conditions, but also empowers patients to take an active role in their health, ultimately leading to a more proactive approach in healthcare.

One example of smart home healthcare can be found in the little sanctuary of the home: the bathroom. Hamberger Medical collaborated with Fraunhofer IIS to design and develop a toilet seat equipped with integrated ECG electrodes. Since we visit the bathroom several times a day, this smart toilet seat can play a pivotal role in helping cardiovascular risk patients to better understand their individual heart health, ultimately improving their quality of life. The toilet seat, approved as a medical device, is commercially available and comes with a smartphone app for controlling and analyzing the 6-channel resting ECG signal.

Image copyright: Fraunhofer IIS, Hamberger Medical