SBRI Healthcare has awarded £2.8 million to four pioneering medtech innovations in the fields of cardiovascular disease and integrated care & social care. The funding will be used to fast-track these technologies through the next stages of commercialisation, including the development of prototypes or demonstration units.
These projects were among ten that were initially identified for phase 1 funding in 2019, and will now benefit from a second round of funding to demonstrate both technical and commercial viability.
The successful projects range from portable blood test devices to diagnose and treat cardiovascular disease, AI enhanced imaging for the management of cardiovascular disease, AI assisted monitoring for elderly people, and personal technology for more independent living to support people with autism.
The projects will run for up to twelve months and aim to develop and evaluate prototypes before further funding is sought for real-world implementation. The long-term aim is for successful technologies to be adopted for use in the NHS and across social care services where they can provide benefits for patients, the NHS and the overall community.
Funding was awarded to the following projects:
Integrated Care and Social Care
Brain in Hand Ltd – awarded £795,088: Brain in hand, a professional digital support system designed for people with neurological and mental health difficulties, such as autism and generalized anxiety disorder, combines a patient interface, service software package and remote support to increase independence and manage anxiety.
Upstream Health – awarded £698,900: Bridgit™ is a support system helping elderly people keep well and independent both within and outside their homes. Using Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things and 2-way communication, Bridgit™ provides insights and direction, enabling targeted support and engagement of users, families and social care.
Cardiovascular Disease
AIMES – awarded £712,063: OpenCARE is a set of AI tools and technologies that are able to provide super-human precise measurement of heart function upon MR Imaging data. Use of OpenCARE helps improve decision making when it comes to managing treatment of cardiovascular disease.
Invitron Ltd – awarded £547,068: Invitron is developing a portable device that will perform rapid, accurate diagnostic tests using just a small finger prick of blood. This device will enable heart failure to be diagnosed directly in GP practices within a few minutes.