[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/12039\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E From cycling to sex, skin patches promise to make their mark\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat do cycling, showering and making love have in common?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAll three activities prove the usefulness of a new generation of skin patches that can monitor people\u2019s vital signs like blood pressure and heart rate, according to Professor Klas Hjort, head of the microsystems technology programme at Uppsala University in Sweden.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPatch work\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile \u201csmart wearables\u201d are already very much on the market and in people\u2019s lives, researchers are seeking to improve the technologies in areas such as e-health and make the devices more comfortable to wear during regular activities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHjort led a research project called \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/824984\u0022\u003ESINTEC\u003C\/a\u003E that received EU funding to develop soft, water-repellent and reusable skin patches implanted with sensors and designed to take smart-wearable technologies to the next level.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe project ran for four and a half years through June 2023. It involved universities, companies and a research organisation from Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We realised the need for more comfortable smart patches that anyone can use, whatever they do indoors or outdoors \u003Cspan style=\u0022color:#3F3F3F;font-family:\u0026quot;Verdana\u0026quot;,sans-serif;font-size:11.0pt;\u0022 lang=\u0022EN-GB\u0022\u003E\u2013 \u003C\/span\u003Ehaving a walk in the rain, trekking, swimming, taking a shower, biking or even having sex,\u2019 said Hjort.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESmart wearables are part of the ever-expanding Internet of Things, or IoT, a vast network of physical objects embedded with technologies such as sensors and software that make it possible to connect and exchange data with other devices over the internet.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA top challenge with smart wearables is to develop sensors that are comfortable enough to use throughout the day and don\u2019t interfere with routine activities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESkin deep\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe SINTEC device includes a reusable soft sensor that resembles a small USB key and is held in place by a non-reusable adhesive patch. In addition to being soft and water-repellent, the patch is stretchable.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003ESmart patches can help athletes who train intensively.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EProfessor Klas Hjort, SINTEC\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt monitors blood pressure and the electrical activity of the heart, allowing conditions such as organ damage, cardiovascular disease and stroke-related morbidity and mortality to be closely monitored by caregivers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe device could also provide a new, non-intrusive way to manage hypertension \u2013 a \u201csilent\u201d medical condition that is characterised by high blood pressure and can lead to stroke, kidney disease and heart failure.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn sports, the SINTEC patch is more comfortable for athletes than existing technologies by being lighter and slimmer \u2013 seven grammes and three millimetres for the sensor patch compared with, for example, the 53 gm and 13 mm of a typical smartwatch.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHealth and fitness benefits\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHealthcare is potentially a prime beneficiary.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESmart wearables can, for example, enable remote medical care for patients, alert adults to gradual health declines and help people recover more quickly from injuries or illnesses.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESports fitness is another field where smart wearables can play a large role. They can measure physiological parameters such as\u0026nbsp;respiration rate and\u0026nbsp;blood oxygenation that previously could be tested only in laboratories.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018These smart patches can help athletes who train intensively to optimise their training and reduce the risk of injury,\u2019 said Hjort.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s in this context that he referred to their potential utility during the act of sex.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018These are things that are robust and can be used by anyone, anywhere and at any time,\u2019 Hjort said. \u2018The utility of such unobtrusive smart patches is not specific for the act of sex but will not be hindered by it nor hindering to it.\u2019\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGrowth market\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPrivate companies including STMicroelectronics in Italy, a Dutch IoT specialist named EVALAN and Sweden-based Mycronic, a manufacturer of high-precision equipment for the electronics industry, collaborated with researchers to advance this technology.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the worldwide smart-wearables market, patches are projected to account for a significant share. The value of the smart-patches market itself will exceed \u20ac25 billion by 2033, according to one\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.idtechex.com\/en\/research-report\/electronic-skin-patches-2023-2033\/900\u0022\u003Eanalysis\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Europe, top producers of smart patches include\u0026nbsp;two Swedish\u0026nbsp;companies called Beneli and Nile as well as Quad Industries in Belgium.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018My hope is that European companies can secure at least 10% of this market with our technology given that the leading manufacturers of smart patches are currently based in Europe,\u2019 said Hjort.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPhD power\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother priority in the fast-developing area of wearable devices is to gauge where they will be of most use for society in the decades ahead.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat\u2019s what another EU-funded project tackled. Called\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/813278\u0022\u003EA-WEAR\u003C\/a\u003E, it also ran for four and a half years through June 2023.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe project prepared 15 young researchers to address upcoming challenges in smart-wearable technology and wireless computing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EUsing smart wearables for e-health will greatly benefit society.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EProfessor Simona Lohan, A-WEAR\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers formed a European doctorate network among five academic institutions: Brno University of Technology in the Czech Republic, Jaume I University in Spain, Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria in Italy, the Polytechnic University of Bucharest in Romania and Tampere University in Finland.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEach of the 15 students pursued either\u0026nbsp;a double or a joint PhD degree at two of the five universities. Eleven have earned their doctorate and the remaining four are expected to finish around the middle of 2024.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETheir research concentrated on the social and industrial applications of smart wearables in areas such as e-health, social networking and industrial robotics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor instance, one student focused on using smart wearables to identify diseases such as Parkinson\u2019s or neurocognitive disorders early on, even before detection by traditional tests.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESmart sensors can detect even small changes in a person\u2019s movement patterns such as an occasional freezing of gait. Such alterations are associated with an increased risk of diseases including Parkinson\u2019s, according to Simona Lohan, a professor in the electrical engineering unit at Tampere University who led A-WEAR.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Using smart wearables for e-health will greatly benefit society as a whole by allowing early care and improving prevention,\u2019 she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELocation-tracking features\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOther PhD students focused on improving the location-tracking features of smart wearables.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt present, indoor location tracking is hindered because buildings and interior structures can interfere with the signals used.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Indoor tracking is still very challenging,\u2019 said Lohan. \u2018We had students exploring various methods such as ultra-wideband for very precise, centimetre-level location tracking and Bluetooth for simple yet effective localisation.\u2019\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe said that, while A-WEAR itself has ended, some of its double-degree partnerships between universities are continuing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Society needs to continue research in wireless communication and positioning,\u2019 said Lohan.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EResearch in this article was funded by the EU\u2019s Horizon Programme including, in the case of A-WEAR, via the Marie Sk\u0142odowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). The views of the interviewees don\u2019t necessarily reflect those of the European Commission. 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