Health sensor wins electronics award

The 'digital plaster' is an ultra-low power smart sensor, which can continuously monitor multiple vital health signs such as such as heart rate, body temperature and respiration.

Toumaz has won a global award for innovation at the IET's annual Innovation in Engineering Awards for a medical product dubbed the 'digital plaster'.

The Abingdon based company scooped the Electronics award for "Connected freedom- ultra low power wireless body monitoring".

The 'digital plaster' is an ultra-low power smart sensor, which can continuously monitor multiple vital health signs such as such as heart rate, body temperature and respiration remotely without the need for bulky equipment.

The digital plaster, worn by the patient, can transfer data to a base station where an electronic medical record is kept.

Such technology provides a platform for analysis and decision-making based on real-time data.

Toumaz is currently conducting trials of the technology.

15 awards were presented at a ceremony at the Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square, London hosted by TV personality and science enthusiast Johnny Ball.

He said "What makes a great innovator? Perhaps a little eccentricity, a desire for improvement, plus vision and the determination to see it through".

"All that equals the type of projects recognised through these awards".

"Innovators always ask 'Why can't it be better?'".

"If it wasn't for innovation we would still have black and white television and mono radio".

He continued: "Innovation is at the heart of business and wealth creation".

"It is right that we acknowledge those who push the boundaries of science, engineering and technology and it will be exciting to see how the innovations awarded this year will make their mark in the future".

Robin McGill, CEO of the IET said: "These awards recognise the vital role that innovation in engineering plays in the global economy".

"On behalf of the IET I would like to congratulate all the winners who have displayed outstanding innovation in their respective categories".

He added that because of the huge interest in the awards this year details of the 2008 awards would be available immediately on the IET website.

The Chairman of the judging panel, Business Development Manager at Cambridge Consultants said: "The judges really liked this entry".

"It is an innovative ultra-low-power integrated circuit design applied in a highly valuable medical application where it provides enabling technology to connect mobile individuals to healthcare providers - simply, affordably and unobtrusively".

"The company's progress in forming business relationships with global healthcare, medical device and pharmaceutical companies is impressive; all starting from biomedical engineering research at Imperial College".

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