The wearable ear sensor from Munich-based wearable specialist cosinuss° enables continuous monitoring of several important vital parameters. The wearable can be integrated into the IoT infrastructure of simplinic . The technology from cosinuss° enables remote monitoring of patients in peripheral wards, while the tracking software from simplinic also allows patients to be located quickly if medical intervention becomes necessary. The partnership enables greater patient safety at low cost while significantly reducing manual effort for caregivers.
- Wearable with ear sensor continuously measures heart rate, oxygen saturation, core body temperature and respiration rate
- Measurement data and localization of patients are transmitted via simplinic IoT infrastructure
- More patient safety, for example through early detection of postoperative complications
- Reduction of manual effort for caregivers
Up to now, hospitals have mostly ensured the monitoring of patients by concentrating on intensive care units or monitoring wards. The equipment and manual effort involved forces hospitals to focus monitoring on patients with the highest risks or to perform it only at defined intervals, i.e. intermittently, by means of so-called spot checks. However, initial studies show clear evidence that continuous monitoring of patients in peripheral wards can also reliably identify rare risk cases. The superiority of continuous rather than only intermittent monitoring, for example in the case of stroke, has also been demonstrated in studies.
Wearables have long been expected to become feasible for clinical use as well. This will make it possible to perform monitoring even on peripheral wards, to include larger patient collectives with rare risks, and to perform monitoring continuously while significantly reducing manual effort.
The in-ear wearable from cosinuss° is a vital parameter sensor that can be worn in the external auditory canal and monitors several important, physiological vital data continuously and mobile. Vital signs can be measured and monitored with high accuracy without restricting freedom of movement. The in-ear sensor is rugged, small, lightweight and convenient to use, even for the elderly. In-ear plugs (e.g. for headphones) are comfortable to wear - even during the night. Crucially, in addition to its superior medical accuracy compared to other medical wearables, such as smartwatches, the in-ear sensor ensures highly reliable data collection. On the dashboard, which has been specially developed for clinical use, medical staff can see at a glance whether the patient's vital signs deviate from the norm ("deviation score") and act quickly accordingly. The wearable is currently undergoing clinical validation, and the manufacturer cosinuss° expects approval as a medical device in accordance with the EU Medical Devices Regulation from September 2021.
"More patient safety and less effort for the nursing staff," is how Johannes Kreuzer, Managing Director of Cosinuss GmbH in Munich, summarizes the advantages of remote patient monitoring with the in-ear sensor.
"The Bluetooth global standard ensures hospitals can quickly adopt innovative technologies at a very moderate cost," said Steffen Geyer, founder of simplinic, "Wearables have the potential to make continuous monitoring of all patients in the hospital the standard."
Source:Ciccone A, Celani MG, Chiaramonte R, Rossi C, Righetti E. Continuous intermittent physiological monitoring for acute stroke. CochraneDatabase of Systematic Reviews 2013, Issue 5. art. No.: CD008444. DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD008444.pub2
