Plextek helps medtech start up PneumaCare turn concept into reality

Plextek, the Cambridge-based electronics and communications design consultancy today announced it is working with medical device company PneumaCare to support the commercial development of its pioneering PneumaScan technology. The platform utilises light based scanning to enable doctors and medical staff to achieve non-invasive assessment and monitoring of lung function.

PneumaScan is a non-invasive, non-contact, Structured Light Plethysmography (SLP) device that illuminates the patient’s body with visible light and captures video data. This data is then processed to give an indication of lung function. The device is a radical improvement on the traditional methods of monitoring lung function, which are uncomfortable for patients and can be associated with a risk of infection. With PneumaScan, staff in doctors' surgeries, hospitals and home care applications can comfortably assess and monitor the lung function of even the most vulnerable groups, who find standard spirometric assessment difficult or sometimes impossible.

Plextek has collaborated with PneumaCare since its formation, contributing ideas, strategic consultancy and supporting the design of a working prototype to help prove the concept. Plextek has since been contracted for further technology development as PneumaCare begins to commercialise the concept and look at other potential applications. Plextek will also provide volume manufacturing. The collaboration has enabled PneumaCare to hit the key business milestones of CE marking, Medical Regulatory and ethical approvals ahead of schedule and under budget.

Based on the strength of the original prototype, PneumaCare was able to initiate discussions with the UK Ministry of Defence about the potential to use a form of PneumaScan to monitor casualties during evacuation from the battlefield or scene of injury. PneumaCare has been awarded a research contract from the Ministry of Defence to explore this potential and carry out a trial of a prototype mobile PneumaScan which could be fitted into ambulances or aircraft.

Dr Colin Smithers, Managing Director, Plextek comments: “PneumaCare is a very exciting Cambridge-based start-up with a truly innovative concept and enormous commercial potential. We’re delighted that our design skill, knowledge and experience is helping the company on its road to success and that we will be continuing to play a pivotal role moving forward.”

Dr Gareth Roberts, PneumaCare founder and CEO comments: “Plextek has played a key role in catalyzing the move from concept to working prototype cost effectively and in a very rapid timeframe. Working with Plextek has given instant access to a large pool of specialist knowledge and medical electronics design experience, which has accelerated our progress and given us a real commercial basis. As we move into the next phase for product development and launch we’ll continue to benefit from Plextek’s first class design skills.

Plextek has a track record for delivering high quality, rapid and reliable healthcare design services (including industrial design, embedded software, analogue and digital hardware design, design for manufacture and rapid prototyping) to support companies with the development of electronic products for medical devices, diagnostics devices, telemedicine systems and biotechnology equipment. The company’s experience in medical device design and its knowledge of regulatory affairs means that all work is carried out to the highest quality and in full accordance with appropriate international standards.