The Hungarian spin-off company is engaged in the research of non-invasive and minimally invasive medical sensors and pulse oximeters. The core concept is to provide miniature / comfortably wearable sensors linked with wireless connection to a PC / PDA / Internet.

An important feature of metabolism in living tissues is the level of oxygen content. Oxygen content (level) of living tissues with blood circulation can be assessed by a so-called spectroscopic technique. A branch of medical spectroscopic techniques is billed "oximetry". Oximetry measures oxygen levels. A further development of oximetry is pulse oximetry. Pulse oximeters utilise the pulsation of blood flowing in arteries, and measure oxygen content. Oxygen content of the blood is called oxygen saturation.

Current techniques, based on the Doppler effect, provide continuous monitoring of fetal heart functions, however, often return false positive results. Such methods yield false positive findings in cases where such conditions (dangerous situation, lack of oxygen) do not actually exist. Therefore, the introduction of this method was followed by a radical increase in number of deliveries assisted by Caesarean section. Technology on offer can successfully minimise the number of such cases.

The offered technology operates with a custom-designed ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) chip and an objective-specific integrated circuit. Measured values are transmitted to the computer via radio frequency waves. The software calculates the oxygen saturation based on the measured values. The device houses a photo diode, double LEDs, and an antenna. The device, however, has no display, because the data (pulse, foetal body temperature, etc.) is displayed on a PC monitor. Diameter of the electronic housing is only 23,1 mm.

The tasks to be resolved in collaboration with the requested partner are: development of technology to be market-ready, introduction of technology to home care areas and commencement of serial production.

Innovative Aspects:
Novel features of technology: in some application areas, devices currently available on the market fail to ensure stable and continuous contact between the pulse oximeter and the tissue to be examined. As all of these devices use catheters and are of the wired type, they are unsuitable for use in in-vivo tests of small animals, or for monitoring sportsmen in action or for assessing fetal oxygen level during birth. These are not suitable for body temperature measurement either.

However, wireless design of technology on offer makes the device perfectly suitable for pulse oximetry measurements even in these areas. This technology is perfectly suitable for body temperature and heart frequency measurement as well.

Advantages:
" Due to its small size, it can easily be placed on the fetal head through the vagina." It can be attached to the lowest point of the fetal skull. Therefore its positioning is easy." In the delivery phase, repeated modification of sensor position is unnecessary." Due to its wireless design, the device will not obstruct patient's movements. This novel method significantly alleviates suffering of delivering mothers confined to bed." Technology on offer can replace Doppler-based, continuous monitoring of foetal cardiac functions." During pulse oximetry assessment, momentary fluctuations of fetal heart frequency and oxygen saturation can also be continuously monitored. A single sensor can execute two measurement methods.

 

Patents/Rights: Patent(s) applied for but not yet granted

Type of Organisation: