Internal memos

UK researchers are developing the next generation of implantable medical sensors, powered by body movement and miniaturised fuel cells, which will be able to tell the difference between a heart attack and a bout of exercise.

A team at Imperial College will develop the wireless sensors, which will combine information on the patient’s physical activity, such as running for a bus, with vital signs such as ECG, blood oxygenation level and temperature, to produce a detailed picture of their condition.

The sensors could be used to monitor patients after surgery and those on complex drug regimes such as chemotherapy, as well as people with chronic diseases including diabetes, heart or lung disease.

By detecting a range of chemicals within the body they could even monitor mental health patients to ensure they are complying with their drug treatment.

Developing an adaptable network based on multiple sensors will help reduce false alarms, according to Morris Sloman, professor of distributed systems management at Imperial and the project’s leader. ‘Some heart surgeons have told us that if your heart is being monitored and you vigorously brush your teeth, that can be detected as a heart attack and the defibrillator could give you a shock,’ he said.