Diagnostic Bracelet
An accurate non-invasive health monitoring sensor has been created
Stepan Ikaev, Hi-tech+
California-based biosensor developer Rockley Photonics has teamed up with medical equipment supplier Medtronic to work on a universal gadget for health monitoring. The goal of the partners is to create a "holy Grail in the field of healthcare" that will non—invasively read the level of sugar, lactic acid, hydration and alcohol in the human body. Rockley Photonics already has a foundation — previously, the startup created a prototype of a Bioptx system with a similar set of functions.
According to the partners, Rockley has developed its own set of biosensors that will expand the capabilities of wearable medical devices. The company claims that its engineers managed to miniaturize and combine several important sensors in the form factor of a small bracelet. As a result, Rockley has created a Bioptx platform that replaces many medical—grade sensors. Now, with the support of Medtronic, the company wants to bring its solution to the consumer market.
Bioptx technology promises accurate monitoring of body temperature, blood pressure, body hydration, alcohol, lactic acid and glucose in the body. All these indicators are read using "end-to-end sensing", which combines cloud analytics with machine learning algorithms. This means that the device does not need to collect blood, sweat or skin particles, and all that the gadget needs is a stable connection to the network.
Rockley added that the partnership with Medtronic is designed to lead people to the transition from reactive to proactive healthcare. The latter involves round-the-clock non-invasive monitoring of human health and well-being in real time. Thus, Rockley representatives said, Bioptx users will prevent dangerous diseases at the earliest stages, and doctors will receive more information to support their patients.
"We are very actively working on this technology and are working on implementing our systems into the products of leading companies in the consumer market," Rockley CEO Andrew Rickman said in a conversation with Fast Company reporters.
It is worth noting that Rockley Photonics is a small but experienced technology developer at the intersection of medicine and consumer electronics. Among the startup's regular customers are large IT companies, including sector leaders. Apple stands out especially among them. The latter is a regular partner of Rockley Photonics, which uses sensors and startup licenses to develop medical functions for Apple Watch smartwatches.
According to Rickman, due to the deal with Medtronic, Rockley will be able to launch mass production of Bioptx in the fourth quarter of this year. If this goal is realized, the first universal gadgets for monitoring the company's health will appear on the market next year.
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