Wearable devices revolutionise medical care
A new collaborative research programme is set to explore the potential of wearable devices in helping prevent and treat depression, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy.
Remote assessment of disease and relapse – Central Nervous System (RADAR-CNS) is a new research programme supported by the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) and part of the Horizon 2020 framework programme. It started in April 2016 and aims to develop new ways of monitoring major depressive disorder, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis using wearable devices and smartphone technology.
This programme aims to improve patients’ quality of life, and to potentially change how these and other chronic disorders are treated.
RADAR-CNS is jointly led by King’s College London, UK, and Janssen Pharmaceutica, Belgium, funded by the IMI and includes 24 organisations from across Europe and the US.
The use of continuous remote assessment using smartphones and wearable devices has the potential to provide a complete picture of a patient’s condition at a level of detail which has previously been unachievable. Moreover, it could potentially allow treatment to begin before a patient’s health deteriorates.
Co-lead of the RADAR-CNS programme Professor Matthew Hotopf, Director of the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre in London, UK, said: “In recent years, the quality and quantity of data that we can collect using wearable devices and smartphones has exploded. It may be that this sort of data can improve clinical care simply by providing more accurate information. Better still, it may be possible to spot when a patient is getting into trouble before their clinic visit.”
“RADAR-CNS will exploit the huge potential of wearable technologies to improve the lives of the millions of people worldwide with chronic illnesses like epilepsy, depression and multiple sclerosis.”
The programme brings together experts from diverse fields including clinical research, engineering, computer science, information technology, data analytics and health services.
RADAR-CNS will provide more information in Issue 20 of PEN’s Science and Technology publication, available at the end of September.
