Chemical giant DuPont is collaborating with Swiss firm ST Microelectronics to develop a smart wearable device concept for remote biosignal monitoring.

DuPont’s Liveo research teams collaborate with suppliers and manufacturers worldwide to create technology across an array of medical applications, including smart devices that can share data between patients and doctors.

The wearable device concept that resulted from the collaboration between DuPont and STM is a smart biosensing patch prototype, which uses multifunctional microsensors and control electronics from STM embedded in a flexible patch design from DuPont.

“STM designed the electronics and sensors for the smart skin patch prototype using our accelerometer and vertical analogue front end next-generation sensors with in-sensor AI, a microcontroller with Bluetooth module, ultra-low-power-management units, firmware, and algorithm support to create a flexible board design capable to analyse electrical and mechanical heart activity in full synchronisation to extract multiple vital signs,” said Simone Ferri, ST Microelectronics (www.st.com) vice president. “The performance of STM’s electronic sensors is enhanced by the conformability and conductivity of the DuPont Liveo materials used to create the patch.”

Through this collaboration, DuPont brings a broad range of medical patch technologies, including Liveo 1-3150 soft skin conductive tape, a silicone-based thermoset adhesive for sensing and transferring electrical biosignals, and Liveo soft skin adhesives.

STM’s sensor and embedded development technology and semiconductor manufacturing expertise, combined with the benefits of silicone technology with electrically conductive properties, allow the soft skin conductive tape technology to be used as a skin electrode for biosignal-monitoring applications where good skin conformability, no drying over time, and repositionability with gentle adhesion and atraumatic removal is vital. It can be used in single electrodes for short-term monitoring, as well as in medical wearable patches for long-term monitoring lasting seven or more days.

DuPont also designed the layout for the smart biosensing patch and supplied rapid prototyping capabilities.

The result of this collaboration is not just a single prototype, but an STM-empowered smart biosensing patch technology toolbox for remote ECG and SCG monitoring.

The integrated patch technology is designed to improve people’s lives, making it easier to use than typical rigid box designs. It is smaller, lighter and more comfortable and can be worn longer. Plus, the sensors are multifunctional, intelligent and adaptable, and the data provided are extremely stable.

DuPont will demonstrate the capabilities of the prototype at next week’s Medica Trade Fair (www.medica-tradefair.com) in Dusseldorf, Germany, from 13 to 16 November. DuPont’s marketing manager Jennifer Gemo and STM’s Oriana Di Marco will give a talk on the collaborative patch concept and technology toolbox at the event on November 14 from 12:15 to 12:35pm.

DuPont Liveo (liveo.dupont.com) produces technology for a broad range of innovations in medical devices, biopharmaceutical processing and pharmaceutical sectors. Its materials help create safer healthcare environments and protect the health of patients and healthcare providers worldwide.