European project develops smart patch for biomarker monitoring
ELSAH is a four-year collaborative European research project which has been launched in January 2019. It is coordinated by the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT) and brings together ten leading partners from five European countries. The project will push the limits of wearables by adding continuous monitoring of molecular biomarker concentrations to their sensing portfolio.
This will take wearables to a new dimension and enable evidence-based healthcare and well-being applications like dietary control, via glucose level monitoring, or workout intensity optimisation, via lactate level monitoring.
ELSAH stands for: Electronic smart patch system for wireless monitoring of molecular biomarkers for healthcare and well-being. The objective of ELSAH is to develop and demonstrate an integrated wearable sensor system, the ‘ELSAH-patch’, for minimally invasive continuous monitoring of molecular biomarker concentrations in the dermal interstitial fluid.
Dr. Jörg Schotter, Scientist at AIT and ELSAH Project coordinator: “By adding molecular detection to their sensing capabilities, it will enable wearables that provide truly evidence-based support to healthy living.” Schotter explains further: “This will lead to better health and well-being, which in turn can be expected to also cause a reduction in the prevalence of diseases of affluence like obesity, cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes.” For demonstration the first two monitored biomarkers will be glucose and lactate, which are amongst the most established and prominent biomarkers to support a healthy lifestyle.
This goal will be achieved by developing and demonstrating a smart-patch that probes the dermal interstitial fluid by minimally-invasive microneedles which are pain-free to apply and wear.
The ELSAH-patch will be fully self-sustained by integrating the microneedle biosensor with a microchip, a printed battery and printed electronics, thereby enabling independent measurements and secure wireless data transmission to the user’s mobile phone.
The Partners of ELSAH project
The ELSAH project consortium unites the interdisciplinary expertise required to achieve our ambitious objectives and brings together three research institutions (AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Centro Technológico LEITAT, Tyndall National Institute), two universities (German Sport University Cologne, Imperial College London), three SMEs (DirectSens GmbH, LykonDX GmbH, Saralon GmbH) and two large enterprises (Infineon Technologies Austria AG, Sanmina Ireland Unlimited Company). The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (topic ICT-07-2018 - Electronic Smart Systems) under grant agreement No 825549.
Project website: http://www.elsah.researchproject.at
More information about the Center: https://www.ait.ac.at/
Press contact:
Fabian Purtscher
Marketing and Communications
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology
Center for Health & Bioresources
T +43 (0)50550-4406
fabian.purtscher@ait.ac.at I www.ait.ac.at
Mag. Michael H. Hlava
Head of Corporate and Marketing Communications
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology
T +43 (0)50550-4014
michael.hlava@ait.ac.at I www.ait.ac.at
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