£50k funding available for wearable and sensor tech innovation

Central Manchester Foundation Trust's Research and Innovation Division is offering £50,000 funding as part of a programme of support for research and innovation.

The aim is to build capacity and capability to help shape and lead the future of healthcare and delivery, working for patients and the local economy. The call is made possible through a programme funded through the CMFT Charities Innovation Fund.

The availability of technology that can be embedded in wearables including the use of smart materials, sensors and user interfaces (apps) has grown rapidly. Technology advances – including miniaturisation, enhanced connectivity, improved usability, reduced cost, increased reliability and extended battery life are moving this from a technocrat domain into mainstream practice.

Wearable technology is often commonplace in other sectors such as transport, communications and education but is now beginning to find a place in the delivery of care and helping patients to be more confident in the self-management of their own health and wellbeing. The technology is not only amenable for direct care but can be effective in supporting some of the broader aspects of our operations including estates and patient experience.

This call seeks applications from areas of clinical practice, healthcare delivery and hospital services that could be changed and improved through the use of connected wearable and sensor technologies. Applications will require a CMFT staff member as a lead or as a partner.

A total of £50,000 is available to support successful applications. There will be further support for continued development of proposals that demonstrate good commercial potential.

To provide information and insights into the possible uses and potential of these technologies there will be workshops where experts in the field will describe some of the technologies that are available. These will be held on site in Citylabs and the date for this will be announced shortly.

Click here to apply, alternatively a downloadable version of the form is available from Fatma Rumash: fatma.rumash@cmft.nhs.uk

The deadline is 31 May.