RF developer and cybersecurity firm awarded R&D grant for IoT devices

Miniature RF modules developer and vendor Insight SiP, and its partner CYSEC, cybersecurity experts, have been awarded a research and development grant by the Eurostars programme.  

The partnership is developing the MEDIcal CYbersecure NEtwork project (“MEDICYNE”) project, for an end-to-end secure communications solution for medical IoT devices.

As the use of IoT-based, connected healthcare objects and devices has risen, concerns about their vulnerability to cyberattacks have also increased. Examples of potential security issues include the hijacking of control of patients’ connected insulin monitoring systems or the theft of patients’ data from healthcare organisations or patients.

Patrick Trinkler, CEO of CYSEC said: “Insight SIP and CYSEC have compelling complementary skills. Partnering with Insight SIP enables CYSEC to deploy its secure IoT solutions among multiple communication protocols and standards. Furthermore, MEDICYNE will enable the company to explore and validate the relevance of its technology in healthcare, a vertical market where privacy and secrecy is key.”

The aim of the MEDICYNE project is to create a secure end-to-end communications solution for IoT-based IT systems between healthcare providers such as hospitals, laboratories and doctors’ surgeries and their patients. The MEDICYNE solution will provide a secure element and cryptographic processing capability in the IoT devices connected to a secure database compliant with the European Union and the USA’s Food and Drug Administration’s regulations on cybersecurity for medical data and the ability for the appropriate authorities to monitor cryptographic operations and encryption.

Michel Beghin, CEO, Insight SiP said: “We are proud to partner with CYSEC and to have been awarded a Eurostars grant for our MEDICYNE project. We look forward to contributing our RF module and SIP expertise to develop a secure end-to-end solution for medical IoT devices and help safeguard the futures of healthcare providers and their patients.”

The MEDICYNE R&D project has a budget of €2 million, started in August 2019 and will last for 24 months. The project brings together experts in the electronics, IT and medical fields including representatives from the medical IoT industry who will form part of the project’s steering committee.