Our Solution for Your Research Projects

The importance and complexity of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease has motivated L.I.F.E. to work on a solution that detects early neurological symptoms. L.I.F.E. partnered with the Università di Genova, FONDA and Gruppo FOS to develop a wearable smart-glasses prototype for early stage diagnoses. This project was the first ever attempt to monitor head tremors and count the number of blinks with a wearable device without any a-priori training. The proposed smart-glasses prototype includes vertical EOG, horizontal EOG, IR optical module, IMU and ambient sensors (temperature, humidity, air pressure).

Among the various accessories developed by L.I.F.E., the sensorized leggings represent a very versatile solution for analyzing lower limb movement. This solution can be applied to different use cases, such as sports, rehabilitation, sleep and other medical purposes. The leggings, which come in several different configurations, cover the leg from thigh to toe and includes IMUs for biomechanical movement and position analysis. It also includes dry electrodes for electromyographic (EMG) signals.

L.I.F.E.’s training garments have been designed to collect athletes’ physiological signals and body movements in real time. More importantly, they can provide dedicated instant feedback to correct movement as well as analysis on trends and metrics to improve performances in the long run. With our sensor-embedded garments and performance-enhancing algorithms, athletes are able to monitor: their heart rate (HR) with a 3-lead ECG signal, their breathing rate (BR) with 3 respiratory signals, their skin temperature with a galvanic skin response (GSR) sensor, as well as their movement, balance, position and posture during different sports activities with IMUs and a GPS sensor.

In our opinion, the Balaclava is one of our most interesting wearable solutions. We designed it for elderly and fragile people affected by neurodegenerative pathologies, as an alternative to the standard and intrusive polysomnography study (sleep study). The device acquires the following biometric signals: electroencephalographic (EEG), electrooculographic (EOG) and electromyographic (EMG). Those signals, combined with the user’s head position and motion, allow the Balaclava to infer clinically relevant indices that describe the sleep structure and highlight different phases, patterns, transient events and possible pathological conditions. A validation study in collaboration with DINOGMI, Università di Genova [Validation of L.I.F.E.’s wearware for a multi-dimensional sleep analysis] is currently in progress under the approval of the Comitato Etico Regione Liguria.

The GSR Thimble has been integrated with the same sensor network, and utilizes the same acquisition logic, as those found in our Healer platform. This allows for an accurate stress level estimation. In fact, the Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) is considered the most important physiological data when monitoring stress levels. However, beyond just the GSR signal, a full multiparametric approach is crucial to achieve a complete stress detection. Thanks to the Healer platform, we are able to measure this.

This infant bodysuit uses the same sensor network and acquisition logic found in our Healer platform. It’s a prototype designed to monitor children, ages 3 and above, in their daily lives and in their sleep. The aim of this bodysuit is to acquire accurate physiological signals of children while assuring the highest possible comfort. It also allows parents to conveniently monitor the vital parameters of their children in real time.

This is a sensorized harness for mini pigs. This prototype, just like the others, uses the same sensor network and acquisition logic used in the Healer platform. It’s purpose is to continuously and remotely, monitor the animals in a non-invasive way. In a round of successful studies, the wearable devices were able to monitor the cardiac activity, respiratory activity, and energetic activity of 20 mini pigs. The following signals were recorded successfully: 3-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) signal, 1-channel respiratory signal, and 9-axis IMU signal (3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis gyroscope, and 3-axis magnetometer). The harness design of this device, just like the one widely used for dogs, was made to ensure as much comfort as possible to the animals, and to facilitate the dressing procedure for the clinicians.

In order to monitor divers in real time during their underwater activities, L.I.F.E. developed a custom, neoprene diving suit. The suit can acquire live physiological signals (ECG, respiration, SpO2, and movement) at a depth of 20 meters, thanks to a cable that connects the suits to monitors to display the data.

In order to overcome the primary limitations of actual blood pressure measuring techniques, we proposed a cuff-less method for the continuous blood pressure monitoring method based on time-delay. We designed this solution with the guiding principle of time relation in mind: the time it takes for a blood volume to travel from the heart to a peripheral site is inversely proportional to blood pressure, so this time relation is obtained by measuring the distance between the R peak of the electrocardiographic signal (acquired by the Healer wearware) and a marker point on the photopletysmographic wave (acquired by the prototype bands, integrated with the Healer platform). Preliminary results obtained in this research study have been published in November, 2021 (https://doi.org/10.3390/s21217334).