Team breathes life into a concept for Anaxsys

10 Feb 2010 4min read

Team Consulting

Company update

Working with client Anaxsys Technology, life science technology specialist, Team Consulting, has completed the development of an exciting new design of respiration rate counter.

The revolutionary new device is set to increase dramatically the contribution that respiration monitoring can make to diagnosis and treatment of illness around the world.

Medical sensor firm Anaxsys understood that respiration rate is an important vital sign.

“It is the earliest indication of the deterioration of a patient’s condition and will, initially, be used in clinical areas, such as postoperative care, emergency medicine and, subsequently, in ambulances and MRI scanners.” said Deryk Williams, Managing Director, Anaxsys Technology Ltd.

It is accepted that there are no devices that can measure respiratory rate reliably in a clinical setting. Any patient movement interferes with ECG leads and, if supplemental oxygen is given, pulse oximetry is rendered unusable as a parameter. Clinically, respiratory rate is still measured by a nurse with a stop watch.

Recognising the problems, Anaxsys conceived a portable, standalone, system that would help clinicians to make rapid diagnosis and deliver effective treatment and monitoring of patients.

By keeping the system portable, low-cost and efficient in terms of power consumption, the Anaxsys concept would enable a far wider range of healthcare professionals around the world to access the technology.  And, by building sensors into a standard oxygen mask, the device can be used quickly and easily in a wide variety of situations.

Anaxsys approached Team – specialists in product development for healthcare and life sciences – to seek help with the development of a prototype.

Team defined the product specification through a combination of technical work in the laboratory and discussions with healthcare professionals.

“Team Consulting has a just reputation for being able to acquire real understanding of users’ needs, and their experiences – both good and bad – of using medical products. We take that knowledge and apply it to a technical project so that it can shape the way a new device functions.” said Jerry Turner, Team’s Managing Director.

The research was conducted via individual interviews and group sessions.

Meanwhile, technical design work called on Team’s expertise in both software and electronics. The device, which mounts Anaxsys’ own sensors within a facemask to measure exhaled water and enable the calculation of respiration parameters, was developed to a ‘proof of principle’ stage.

This confirmed the viability of the technology, giving Team a green light to develop and deliver a fully functioning prototype to Anaxsys for clinical testing.

The prototype boasts a clear OLED display. This reduces the product’s power consumption while enhancing the readability of its screen over a wider range of angles.

A USP class IV medical grade plastic was selected for the device’s sensor housing. This enabled Team to form the components rapidly and at low cost via a laser sintering process.

Barbara Lead, Commercial and Development Director at Anaxsys said: “We were excited that Team was able take our concept and vision and develop it so effectively into a viable design for a commercial, product. This prototype formed the basis for the production prototype that will enable us to proceed to clinical trials and to demonstrate the impact that respiratory rate counting can have on healthcare around the world.”

Anaxsys believes the product will reduce post-operative mortality, particularly in the emergency medical environment, where patients can be left unobserved due to other crises.

Its low cost will make it affordable to third world economies and, being battery powered, can be of value in regions without a reliable electricity supply.


About Anaxsys
Anaxsys is a medical device company that develops and markets innovative respiratory devices that meet clinical needs. Anaxsys’ unique approach to identifying and meeting clinical needs has resulted in a range of novel products, based on Anaxsys’ patented sensor technology, to improve patient outcomes. These product ranges are targeted at patient monitoring, screening and diagnostics in the areas of vital signs, asthma, sleep apnoea and lung cancer. Anaxsys’ first product to market is respiR8, a continuous respiratory rate counter that provides an early indication of patient deterioration. For more information, visit www.anaxsys.com.

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