Next gen wearable health monitoring technology trialled in research

The next generation of wearable health monitoring technology will be developed and trialled in groundbreaking research funded by the Australian Government.

Four research projects providing better health monitoring and access to diagnostic testing will receive a total of $7.5 million under the Medical Research Future Fund’s Primary Health Care Research initiative.

Three devices that can be worn in clothing or as accessories—known as “wearables”— will be trialled in the research. The devices will monitor blood pressure in people with hypertension, the movement of children with cerebral palsy who cannot walk, and healthy behaviours such as exercise and nutrition in people with Type 2 diabetes.

The fourth project will provide access to a full blood examination at the point-of-care in 20 remote Northern Territory primary healthcare services, which are yet to be chosen. Patients with severe infection (sepsis) could be diagnosed within 10 minutes, rather than four to seven days.

The projects will commence as soon as practical and will be completed within five years.

Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health Hon Malarndirri McCarthy said, “New health technologies and tools such as wearable health technologies and point-of-care testing have the potential to transform primary health care.

“By putting existing new technologies to the test, these research projects could lead to rapid improvements in health outcomes for people with chronic conditions and for First Australians and others living in remote areas,” McCarthy said.

2021 primary health care grant opportunity

1. CP Movetime – Curtin University – $1,538,149.96
2. Equitable access to full blood evaluation testing at the point-of-care in remote primary health – Flinders University – $2,996,294.25
3. Transforming blood pressure control in primary care using the next generation of wearable blood pressure devices: The NEXTGEN-BP randomised trial – University of New South Wales – $1,936,263.10
4. Wearables Integrated Technology to support healthy behaviours in people with Type 2 Diabetes (Wear-IT) – Bond University – $1,093,405.00

Ritchelle Drilon

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Ritchelle is a Content Producer for Healthcare Channel, Australia’s premier resource of information for healthcare.

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