Isansys Lifecare Limited, the provider of complete real-time physiological patient data services and systems, today announces the launch of the LifeTouch HRV011 a radical new addition to its Lifecare Platform.

The LifeTouch is an intelligent cardiac monitor that adheres to the patient's body and analyses the ECG signal of every heartbeat. Key physiological parameters, including heart rate, respiration rate and high resolution QRS intervals are calculated and uploaded from the LifeTouch to the secure HL7 compliant database in the Isansys Lifecare Platform - a multi layer, configurable, fully scalable, wireless patient monitoring platform. Isansys Lifecare's services, tailored to meet the individual requirements of the care provider, are built on the Lifecare Platform, which is available now.

Resembling a lightweight adhesive bandage strip, the LifeTouch HRV011 is simple to fit, unobtrusively attaches to the body and is comfortable to wear. It continuously measures and digitises the ECG signal at a rate four to five times greater than the standard required for ECG monitors thus offering unprecedented scope for a range of new analytical techniques and algorithms that can run in the HRV011 itself on the advanced ultra-low power integrated microprocessor. Current functions include heart rate, respiration rate, high-resolution QRS intervals and other heart rate variability parameters that are used, among other things, to derive the respiration rate using Isansys' multi-parameter LifeBreath algorithm. Fundamental or derived data (or both) are sent to the web-based database where it can be stored and integrated with other patient information, or forwarded and accessed only by authorized users. Further analysis can be carried out on the data in the database to provide more information about the patient such as indicators of stress and health-warning scores and used to generate alerts or prompts regarding status of the patient.

The LifeTouch HRV011 is built on the Isansys RK001 sensing platform that brings a new level of local intelligence to body worn devices by means of a new, very low power ARM Cortex based microcontroller. The wireless link uses the well-proven ANT ultra-low power wireless protocol. These inherently low power consumption components, together with efficient algorithms provide a continuous working lifetime of up to 100 hours.

Uniquely, the LifeTouch is a semi-disposable hybrid developed with support from Scapa Medical division of Scapa plc, global producers of specialist skin friendly adhesive tape solutions. From the users' point of view it is a single use device. However, a key element of the Isansys service model is a recycling service that recovers, sterilises and refurbishes the electronic module (including the battery), disposes of and replaces the medical grade laminate materials that form the substrate and enclosure for the electronic module, before re-testing and re-packaging for subsequent re-use. This unique service approach ensures all the benefits of fully disposable devices whilst maintaining compliance with the EU WEEE directive and adherence to good environmental practice and substantially reduces the effective cost of the LifeTouch devices.

Scapa's Medical Business Unit and Specialist Conversion Team are utilising their expertise in skin-friendly solutions and design and prototyping to support Isansys in the early stages of the development of the LifeTouch. Mr Barry Andrew, Global Medical Business Unit Director, commented "We are very proud to be involved with the development and launch of the LifeTouch. This new, exciting technology epitomises Scapa's dedication to offering turnkey solutions for the future Medical environment" Scapa's development team continues to be highly motivated by this project and looks forward to working with Isansys Lifecare on the introduction of this device.

Commenting on the launch of LifeTouch, Isansys Lifecare CEO Keith Errey said: "This is an exciting time for Isansys to be able to offer a device and service to the healthcare market that is not openly and readily available anywhere else in the world." He continues "The addition of LifeTouch to the Isansys Lifecare Platform provides healthcare professionals with a fantastic new tool for the provision of continuous and real-time patient information. The power of our Lifecare Platform is that this information can be delivered in a customised form from a secure database to an authorised care provider anywhere. For patients we are introducing a fuss-free, unobtrusive device that may be worn under clothing and requires no adjustment, calibration, recharging or battery changing. ?For the environment we are introducing a near zero impact device with all the benefits of a disposable. We think this is a really important and necessary product."

Isansys Lifecare Business Development Director, Rebecca Weir said: "We recognised that the first requirement is to work with leading and visionary clinicians to help them generate the evidence and experience base relevant to their own specialities and organisations. To do this we offer a service that overcomes the problems of technology and up-front capital investment, providing the focus, support and resource necessary to run an efficient and influential clinical study or pilot project." Rebecca added "We also recognised that these leading clinicians wanted to get to work NOW, in order to develop their own areas of research and address the current needs of their patients and we have worked hard to build our services and technology in order to help them TODAY."