UK trio team up on life-saving baby device

Three members of Medilink East Midlands (EM) have joined together in the creation of an innovative baby health product that could save millions of lives.

The project came about as a result of the Medilink EM Instils support programme, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

SurePulse Medical is a joint venture between The University of Nottingham and Tioga, a contract electronic manufacturer based in Derby. Established in September 2014, SurePulse has developed an platform for monitoring heart rates in new-born babies. The SurePulse VS (Vital Sign) product is a heart rate monitor comprising a cap which integrates a sensor and a wireless display. The cap, which has been purpose-designed to be rapidly applied to the baby, has been manufactured by Capatex, a Nottingham company which manufactures and supplies technical textiles to a wide range of industries.

Approximately 10% of newborn babies require some form of resuscitation at birth. In the event of a baby requiring resuscitation, the VS provides a continuous hands-free heart rate allowing hospital staff to swiftly and effectively provide medical support, without the need for a stethoscope.SurePulse Medical, Tioga and Capatex are all East Midlands-based companies and members of Medilink EM, the life science business support organisation. It’s as a result of the networking and signposting opportunities Medilink EM provides that companies such as these can come together and collaborate, leading to the development of new products and technologies.

Medilink EM has also provided financial support through the Instils programme, which is part-funded by ERDF. Over £9k was awarded to SurePulse Medical in August 2017 which allowed rigorous safety testing to be carried out on the VS product.

Dr Darren Clark, chief executive of Medilink EM said: “It’s great to see our members coming together and creating ground-breaking advances in new-born resuscitation, particularly as this is an area which has seen little improvement in recent years. The success of this product and the innovative collaboration between organisations demonstrates once again that Medilink EM remains at the heart of the region’s Life Sciences sector.”