Health care sensor attracts interest from top US hospitals
Thursday, 21 February 2008
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Top US hospitals have signed up a Belfast-based vital signs monitoring specialist for a major patient care research project, it has emerged.
Sensor Technologies and Devices, an internationally recognised company founded as a University of Ulster spin-out, is investing £400,000 in developing a system that will significantly improve patient care during hospital stays.
The project will mean ST+D taking on another three staff and the first devices are expected to be ready by July next year.
Partners HealthCare, a leading US healthcare system based in Boston, has signed a memorandum of understanding encouraging the project. Partners HealthCare is one of America's leading biomedical research organisations and a principal teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School.
Supported by Invest Northern Ireland, with EU backing, the research and development project is a collaborative venture with CIMIT, the Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology in Boston.
The collaboration aims to develop a miniaturised patient-worn monitor that will provide information on a patient's heart, respiration, temperature and movement.
The devices will use existing hospital wireless networks to give an immediate indication of change directly to the clinical teams even as patients move around the hospital.
This contrasts with traditional monitoring, which is based around hospital beds.
Tracy Meharg, Invest NI's managing director of innovation and capability, said: "The life sciences sector in Northern Ireland has a long and prestigious history and in recent years we have led the field in many areas including medical devices and cancer research.
"This highly differentiated product will be significantly more advanced than anything similar on the market and has the potential to sell globally."
Michael Caulfield, Sensor Technologies and Devices' CEO, said: "It is a great honour and opportunity to work with Partners HealthCare and CIMIT.
"They will provide clinical trials and integration into the hospital IT networks."
ST+D has attracted almost £1m of venture capital funding for its activities from a range of investors, led by Belfast-based Clarendon Fund Managers and including Enterprise Equity and UUTech.
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