Health Interventions at the Edge

Austin, Helen and Puddy, John and Richardson, Andrew and Gaffney, Christopher and Hardy, John and Cheneler, David and Rust, Samuel and Al-Saadi, Ali (2025) Health Interventions at the Edge. In: UK Society for Biomaterials Conference 2025, 2025-06-30 - 2025-07-02, Lancaster University Management School.

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Abstract

Wearable devices offer instant access to vast amounts of health data, the challenge is knowing how to interpret the data into actionable decisions as this requires medical / sports science knowledge and the number of medical staff in the field capable of making these actionable decisions is limited. Ultra PCS and Lancaster University have developed an end-to-end system designed to monitor welfare and remotely deliver an intervention from a command post by a trained professional. This aids in reducing the burden on field medical staff by prioritising efforts where most needed. A prototype closed loop implementation system has been developed for proof-of-principle demonstration. The system utilises an UltraLYNX power and data hub to receive, combine and categorise data from wearable sensors at the edge. This system could communicate a priority red, amber, or green (RAG) indicator to the designated command post where a trained professional can view the sensor data and administer a pre-determined substance via an actuation cuff to the end user. Physiological monitoring is conducted using a commercial heart rate monitor and a novel potassium sensor created by Lancaster University. The novel sensor comprises of a conductive polymeric membrane containing an ionophore (valinomycin) for potassium selectivity. On command, the UltraLYNX activates a pneumatic system that applies a caffeine patch (as a safe analogue to a field-appropriate intervention) to the arm of the end-user. The physiological condition of the end-user continues to be monitored and communicated by the UltraLYNX system, closing the loop. During bench-top testing, the full system was verified against a series of test cases, with successful data transmission, processing and actuation. Initial testing of the sensor shows a near-Nernstian response of 63.2mV/dec to potassium chloride. The sensor chip was combined with a miniature potentiostat and was successfully integrated into the system, demonstrating a stable response. Further testing, including human trials, are still ongoing. Alongside this work, research is being conducted into the use of hydrogels as an intervention tool, with the intention of integrating this work into the system in the future. Other intentions include integrating more sensors and exploring other prediction tools such as AI to get a more detailed overall picture of the soldier’s wellbeing. Numerous ionic species may be detected, including sodium, potassium and chlorine, making them ideal for use in sweat sensors. Another future intention of the project includes exploring the detection of additional chemicals.