Expanding on an existing partnership, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and Sonica Health announced last week that they will work together to create a wearable patch capable of monitoring for COVID-19 infections.
The device is meant for high-risk clinical populations as an early warning system and is based on wearable sensors. Since people infected with SARS-CoV-2 — which causes COVID-19 — and similar viruses usually only seek diagnostic tests after symptoms, COVID-19 is particularly dangerous, since it is transferable while patients are still asymptomatic or presymptomatic.
The device would not depend on noticeable symptoms, and catching the virus early could reduce infection transmission. It would utilize custom signal processing and machine learning to provide insight into the virus while providing continuous streams of data for collection and wireless communication to data hubs.
To this end, Sonica is working in conjunction with Northwestern University and Shirley Ryan Abilitylab researchers to create and implement a set of symptom-focused algorithms to identify COVID-19 early. It is also working with Sibel Health to provide additional measures of the oxygen level in the blood, using its ANNETM One Platform, an intensive care unit-grade wearable sensor system that also provides electrocardiography.
Sonica’s wearable patch is a bio-integrated device known as ADAM. It’s a thin and flexible device without wires that sits at the base of the throat like a band-aid. From there, it can monitor everything from cough intensity and patents to chest wall movements, heart rate, physical activity, and temperature.
Clinical studies of the device will be conducted with healthcare providers to better develop the proper infection detection algorithms. The goal for all involved will be to create an all-encompassing, early warning platform cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.