Engineer behind novel sepsis sensor takes RAEng prize

The 25-year-old’s company SPYRAS is developing prototype sensors that continuously monitor respiratory rate, inhalation and exhalation periods, and depth of breathing. Respiratory rate is closely linked to the early signs of sepsis, and machine learning will be applied to the sensor data to detect the onset of the condition. Globally, sepsis kills someone every 3.5 seconds. Early detection could save as many as 14,000 lives per year in the UK alone.

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The Gammon Award is presented to the winner of the Royal Academy’s Launchpad Competition, which is now in its sixth year. As well as prize money of £15,000, George will receive a year of personalised training and mentoring via the RAEng’s Enterprise Hub to help put his product on a path to commercialisation.

“I’m so pleased to be this year’s Launchpad Competition winner; it is one thing having an initial idea about how to solve a specific challenge, and it is another entirely getting industry backing,” said George Winfield, founder and CEO of SPYRAS.