NOVACAB: Loughborough University London wins research award for development of healthcare Internet of Things platform

Loughborough University London has been awarded research funding from the UK-India Education Research Initiative (UKIERI) to build a secure Internet of Things (IoT) platform for use in healthcare.

IoT platforms connect devices, allowing them to collect and use data. Examples include smart fridges that alert owners when food supplies are running low or thermostats that learn about heating habits in the home in order to conserve energy.

This three-year UKIERI award, led by Dr Yogachandran Rahulamathavan of the University’s Institute for Digital Technologies, will enable IoT platforms to be created that interact with people who need round-the-clock assistance, using sensors to measure movement, location and body functions such as breathing, heart rate and blood pressure.

An initial pilot testing phase will see patients in care homes from the states of West Bengal and Orissa (renamed Odisha in 2011) in India recruited in order to study chronic diseases, with IoT services tailored to respond to the socio-cultural differences across regions.

The framework will be extended to analyse real-time physiological data from patients equipped with wireless devices whilst travelling in ambulances, before focusing on the development of a secure infrastructure for data collection and an interface which empowers users and protects the privacy of participants.

Speaking about the research, Professor Ahmet Kondoz, Director of the Institute for Digital Technologies and Associate Dean for Research at Loughborough University London, said: “The Internet of Things will become prominent in all parts of our daily lives for sensing and processing information around us, leading to better understanding and action. Loughborough University London is very excited to be involved in this ground-breaking collaboration alongside renowned international partners.”

The project is a collaboration between the Institute of Digital Technologies and IIT Kharagpur, supported by City University of London, eSmart Saving Ltd UK and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

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