Sensing

A primary motivation of our research is the monitoring of physical, physiological, and biochemical parameters - in any environment and without activity restriction and behaviour modification - through using miniaturised, wireless Body Sensor Networks (BSN). Key research issues that are currently being addressed include novel sensor designs, ultra-low power microprocessor and wireless platforms, energy scavenging, biocompatibility, system integration and miniaturisation, processing-on-node technologies combined with novel ASIC design, autonomic sensor networks and light-weight communication protocols. Our research is aimed at addressing the future needs of life-long health, wellbeing and healthcare, particularly those related to demographic changes associated with an ageing population and patients with chronic illnesses. This research theme is therefore closely aligned with the IGHI’s vision of providing safe, effective and accessible technologies for both developed and developing countries.

Some of our latest works were exhibited at the 2015 Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition.

2 column colour block - Research areas

Body Sensor Networks

Body Sensor Networks

The last decade has witnessed a rapid surge of interest in new sensing and monitoring devices for healthcare and the use of wireless wearable devices for clinical applications. One key development in this area is implantable in vivo monitoring and intervention devices.
Surgical Implants

Surgical Implants

One of the major focuses of the Hamlyn Centre is the development of miniaturised sensors embodied either as smart surgical appliances or implants to enhance the safety of surgical procedures, enhance patient care, and also the patient's quality of life.

2 column colour block - Research areas 2

ESPRIT

IoT and Smart Environments

Our main research in IoT and smart environments is focussed on the challenges of ambient sensing through the introduction of novel sensing platforms, self-configuration approaches, self-adaptive techniques, and seamless integration with wearable sensors.
Smart Environments

ESPRIT

The vision of ESPRIT is to position UK at the forefront of pervasive sensing in elite sports and promote its wider application in public life-long health, wellbeing and healthcare. Our work addresses some of the key challenges related to miniaturised wearable sensors for sports.

Citation

BibTex format

@article{Chen:2020:10.1109/JBHI.2019.2957444,
author = {Chen, C-M and Anastasova, S and Zhang, K and Rosa, BG and Lo, BPL and Assender, HE and Yang, G-Z},
doi = {10.1109/JBHI.2019.2957444},
journal = {IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics},
pages = {2208--2215},
title = {Towards wearable and flexible sensors and circuits integration for stress monitoring},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/JBHI.2019.2957444},
volume = {24},
year = {2020}
}
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RIS format (EndNote, RefMan)

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Excessive stress is one of the main causes of mental illness. Long-term exposure of stress could affect one's physiological wellbeing (such as hypertension) and psychological condition (such as depression). Multisensory information such as heart rate variability (HRV) and pH can provide suitable information about mental and physical stress. This paper proposes a novel approach for stress condition monitoring using disposable flexible sensors. By integrating flexible amplifiers with a commercially available flexible polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) mechanical deformation sensor and a pH-type chemical sensor, the proposed system can detect arterial pulses from the neck and pH levels from sweat located in the back of the body. The system uses organic thin film transistor (OTFT)-based signal amplification front-end circuits with modifications to accommodate the dynamic signal ranges obtained from the sensors. The OTFTs were manufactured on a low-cost flexible polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) substrate using a coater capable of Roll-to-Roll (R2R) deposition. The proposed system can capture physiological indicators with data interrogated by Near Field Communication (NFC). The device has been successfully tested with healthy subjects, demonstrating its feasibility for real-time stress monitoring.
AU  - Chen,C-M
AU  - Anastasova,S
AU  - Zhang,K
AU  - Rosa,BG
AU  - Lo,BPL
AU  - Assender,HE
AU  - Yang,G-Z
DO  - 10.1109/JBHI.2019.2957444
EP  - 2215
PY  - 2020///
SN  - 2168-2194
SP  - 2208
TI  - Towards wearable and flexible sensors and circuits integration for stress monitoring
T2  - IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/JBHI.2019.2957444
UR  - http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000557358500008&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
UR  - https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8920000
UR  - http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/88075
VL  - 24
ER  -
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