CLEWS Medical Limited
Advancing diagnostics with photonics innovation
The challenge
Early Warning Scores (EWS) are used to track whether patients in hospital are deteriorating in health to enable faster medical intervention. The scores are made up of multiple health parameters, including blood pressure and respiratory rate, and can be time-consuming when collected manually.
CLEWS Medical Limited is a northern start-up that needed our support harnessing photonics technology to develop its wearable, wireless medical device that helps generate EWS faster, more accurately, and cheaper.
New medical devices must evidence technology feasibility and efficacy prior to commercialisation. Developing a product for the highly regulated MedTech market therefore requires access to significant funding and regulatory expertise. This presents a significant barrier to entry for early-stage companies like CLEWS Medical.
![](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Heart-ECG.jpg?w=1920&h=1080&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1643285409&s=25531e13b048bca74760060e9de2afb6 1920w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Heart-ECG.jpg?w=1120&h=630&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1643285409&s=883df06d3fb3984f1d944e7e6bb9528d 1120w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Heart-ECG.jpg?w=2240&h=1260&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1643285409&s=9233bfbb12db9c4a485a4b0cb7b85db2 2240w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Heart-ECG.jpg?w=800&h=450&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1643285409&s=10a75ce471a6277986cb64374f052abd 800w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Heart-ECG.jpg?w=1600&h=900&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1643285409&s=e95cf2f0b782952094131353b3555fdf 1600w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Heart-ECG.jpg?w=480&h=270&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1643285409&s=b0d69acaf542843a24bec18746840051 480w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Heart-ECG.jpg?w=960&h=540&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1643285409&s=a41e00240bf1dd686cde4853cf0483e6 960w)
“It has been a fantastic experience working alongside CPI. For every obstacle that we’ve come across, the CPI team have been prepared to investigate and find ways around them. Although we’ve only made early progress along a much longer road to commercialisation, I feel confident that this road has been roughly mapped out by the knowledge and contacts provided by CPI.”
![Dr Michael Ross Dr Michael Ross](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Michael-Ross.jpg?w=100&h=100&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1644337959&s=689141f08bd8bfc295680c3b637291ba)
How CPI helped
- Funding through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
- Shared expertise and access to state-of-the-art facilities in photonics technology for medical applications
- Testing and development at our National Healthcare Photonics Centre
- Set up a connection with Prof John Girkin, a leading photonics expert at Durham University, which enabled access to academic researchers to further optimise the technology
![](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/cpi-photonics-home.jpg?w=1920&h=1080&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=focalpoint&fp-x=0.2177&fp-y=0.4589&dm=1580221315&s=53c5ae360f169bb5fb2555592d3592ad 1920w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/cpi-photonics-home.jpg?w=1120&h=630&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=focalpoint&fp-x=0.2177&fp-y=0.4589&dm=1580221315&s=59715efb0a6296a3e1ca3810e2e54a8b 1120w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/cpi-photonics-home.jpg?w=800&h=450&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=focalpoint&fp-x=0.2177&fp-y=0.4589&dm=1580221315&s=08a2749c5b8ad3f6ab0621120dd54b1b 800w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/cpi-photonics-home.jpg?w=1600&h=900&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=focalpoint&fp-x=0.2177&fp-y=0.4589&dm=1580221315&s=82e1c11e175ff837fdbd0f041d7989af 1600w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/cpi-photonics-home.jpg?w=480&h=270&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=focalpoint&fp-x=0.2177&fp-y=0.4589&dm=1580221315&s=f7371c7f8a457a194ac604ecbbfe5f14 480w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/cpi-photonics-home.jpg?w=960&h=540&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=focalpoint&fp-x=0.2177&fp-y=0.4589&dm=1580221315&s=d678ae6bdd3f61cf1084cf0273491799 960w)
Achievements
- Research projects carried out at Durham University and Teesside University
- Defined needs and requirements for the product design
- Proposed and tested a novel method for measuring one of the key parameters
- Checked the feasibility of the design of electronics in the device
- Made a proof-of-concept prototype
- Helped to develop the business case for the new technology
Impact
The partnership resulted in the creation of an initial proof-of-concept prototype for the wearable medical device and research results for a novel blood measurement technique. The prototype device was capable of measuring several of the required parameters and provided a platform for future research and development activities needed to implement the full desired functionality.
CLEWS Medical were assisted in continuing the technology development of the device in collaboration with Teesside University and have since submitted a high-level patent for the EWS device concept, which is progressing through to the next stage.
This project work was carried out as part of the Spotlight project, which was part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Related
Technologies
Markets
![](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/medtech-header.jpg?w=1920&h=1080&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559213093&s=c1e15b699dfce1f17270037a89667f59 1920w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/medtech-header.jpg?w=1120&h=630&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559213093&s=c01660294206cd8dad817ac640a397d3 1120w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/medtech-header.jpg?w=800&h=450&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559213093&s=1cad75e8e3bf9b01f5fe6544a6bf4f21 800w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/medtech-header.jpg?w=1600&h=900&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559213093&s=a369a313353e0b4f908f25e784ae49ad 1600w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/medtech-header.jpg?w=480&h=270&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559213093&s=6913b12f293d1cbac40660aafe3a3e48 480w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/medtech-header.jpg?w=960&h=540&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559213093&s=01df9289cc06ba6e71366fb9481916cb 960w)