Electronics Production |
Kitron and Appsens' looking to prevent stroke with heart sensor
Appsens, a Norwegian based startup company developing wireless medical sensors, has teamed up with EMS provider Kitron to produce a product that helps detect heart fibrillation early so that stroke can be avoided.
Kitron supported the startup in the development of a robotic production line and industrialisation of product.
ECG247 – as the Smart Heart Sensor is called – was developed in cooperation with researchers from the University of Agder and Sørlandet Hospital Arendal. The goal now is for the product to be available to as many people as possible through the country's 5,000 general practitioners, pharmacists and online stores, Kitron writes in a blog post.
The company continues to state that strokes costs Norwegian society around NOK 8 billion each year; meaning that Appsens’ app and sensor can save the state large sums if it helps prevent the condition.
So how does it work? Well, the product is a two-piece and consists of a capsule with a sensor and a patch. They are assembled together and fixed on the chest. The heart rate measurement of the wearer is sent continuously ones phone via the app which then notifies if irregularities are detected.
Kitron part in this project consisted of the design of a fully automatic production line, where a collaborating robot works with different tools. The EMS provider also developed an effective test system for this product.
“The heart of Appsens' product lies in electronics. Kitron and Appsens have collaborated on optimizing the design and properties of circuit boards with associated unique and standard components. According to current EU requirements for medical devices (MDD), the sensor is certified, and there have been strict requirements for performance and robustness. The right choice of components has been essential for achieving quality and cost-efficiency," says Stian Haugen, CTO at Kitron Group, in the blog post.
The sensor electronics are produced by Kitron in Arendal. The EMS provider says that the fully automated production line that it has built up for Appsens has the possibility of producing a large number of sensors in a short time.
"This is a very significant product with great potential. We are pleased that we can be a part of this and have had a great desire to contribute. It is exciting to work with Appsens," Stian Haugen concludes.
