A new spin out company from the University of Nottingham is set to bring improvements to a variety of medical devices and innovations to healthcare, using expertise from the University's Faculty of Engineering.
Medical Photonics Ltd was formed in December to utilise know-how in optical fibre sensing to support commercialisation of a range of smart technologies to improve healthcare.
The company has been founded by Professors Steve Morgan, Barrie Hayes-Gill, and Serhiy Korposh, and Doctors Ricardo Correia and Brett Gadsby from the Faculty of Engineering, alongside external chairperson David Whelan and clinician Doctor Andrew Norris.
The spin out will look at using fibre optic sensors which utilise strands of glass or plastic - thinner than a hair – to measure a range of useful medical signals. For example, the technology can be used to monitor the oxygen content of the blood non-invasively.
The small size and versatility of the sensors means that they can be easily integrated into a range of existing medical devices, transforming basic medical devices into smart monitoring technologies. The provision of clinical data coupled with algorithms utilising AI has the potential to benefit many of today's healthcare challenges related to chronic diseases and an ageing population.
With digital health being a key part of the NHS long term plan, medical innovations like these could help reduce costs and support the healthcare and recovery for people suffering from long-term health conditions.
The Medical Photonics team will work closely with the University of Nottingham and its clinical collaborators to support commercialisation of optical fibre sensing technologies for widespread benefit.
Steve Morgan, Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Nottingham, and Medical Photonics CEO, said of the launch of the spin-out: "The launch of Medical Photonics is a great opportunity for us to ensure that our expertise in optical fibre sensing for healthcare moves from the laboratory through to patient benefit.
Our approach provides clinicians with a rich dataset that cannot be obtained with other technologies. We're well placed to embrace the digital revolution in healthcare and are excited about the impact our research will make."
