Oxfordshire based company wins prestigious award for innovation

14 November 2007

Toumaz has won a prestigious global award for innovation at the IET’s annual Innovation in Engineering Awards for a medical product dubbed the ‘digital plaster’.

The Abingdon based company scooped the Electronics award for ‘Connected freedom- ultra low power wireless body monitoring’.

The ‘digital plaster’ is an ultra-low power smart sensor, which can continuously monitor multiple vital health signs such as such as heart rate, body temperature and respiration remotely without the need for bulky non-mobile equipment. The digital plaster, worn by the patient, can transfer data to a base station where an electronic medical record is kept. Such technology provides a unique platform for analysis and decision-making based on real-time data. Toumaz is currently conducting major trials of the technology.

A total of 15 awards, each sponsored by a major company, were presented and at a ceremony at the Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square, London hosted by TV personality and science enthusiast Johnny Ball.

The host of “Think of a Number” said: “What makes a great innovator? Perhaps a little eccentricity, a desire for improvement, plus vision and the determination to see it through. All that equals the type of projects recognised through these awards. Innovators always ask ‘Why can't it be better?’ If it wasn't for innovation we would still have black and white television and mono radio.”

He continued: “Innovation is at the heart of business and wealth creation. It is right that we acknowledge those who push the boundaries of science, engineering and technology and it will be exciting to see how the innovations awarded this year will make their mark in the future. “

Robin McGill, CEO of the IET said: “These awards recognise the vital role that innovation in engineering plays in the global economy. On behalf of the IET I would like to congratulate all the winners who have displayed outstanding innovation in their respective categories.”

He added that because of the huge interest in the awards this year details of the 2008 awards would be available immediately on the IET web site at: www.theiet.org/innovationawards.

The chairman of the judging panel, business development manager at Cambridge Consultants said: “The judges really liked this entry. It is an innovative ultra-low-power Integrated Circuit design applied in a highly valuable medical application where it provides enabling technology to connect mobile individuals to healthcare providers – simply, affordably and unobtrusively. Truly a technology that improves quality of life. The company's progress in forming business relationships with global healthcare, medical device and pharmaceutical companies is impressive; all starting from biomedical engineering research at Imperial College.”

The Electronics award is sponsored by Cadence.

The awards have been supported by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and Make Your Mark in Manufacturing & Engineering.

Photographs of a company representative and Johnny Ball are available from the IET press office, along with contact details for Toumaz.

IET Press Office
Jenny Bond
T: 020 7344 5445
E: jennybond@theiet.org