Digital ’plaster’ for monitoring vital signs undergoes first clinical trials

Digital 'plaster' for monitoring vital signs undergoes first clinical trials. Wireless device should enable patients' vital signs to be monitored without bulky monitoring machines - News release - Issued by Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust For immediate release - Monday 2 November 2009 A wireless digital 'plaster' that can monitor vital signs continuously and remotely is being tried out with patients and healthy volunteers at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, in a new clinical trial run by Imperial College London researchers. Toumaz Technology Ltd's Sensium? digital 'plaster' or 'patch' is a disposable device that sticks to a patient's chest. It is designed to allow patients to have their health monitored continuously without being wired up to bulky, fixed monitoring machines, potentially freeing some patients from their hospital beds. The digital plaster is based on innovative technology created by engineers at Imperial College London. It contains a wireless, smart, ultra-low power sensor platform in a silicon chip, which can monitor a range of vital signs like body temperature, heart rate and respiration in real-time. The intention is that healthcare professionals will be able to download this information using a mobile phone, enabling them to pick up on any critical changes in their patients' status on a 24-7 basis and allowing early detection and treatment of any unforeseen complications. The data can also be integrated automatically into the patient's electronic medical record. The team that developed the Sensium?