Toumaz Technology Limited's wireless body monitoring patch, the Senisum Life Pebble, received the CE mark last week, and is now available for sale across Europe.

The tiny, 28gm device is designed to track vital signs, such as ECG, heart rate, skin temperature and even, with its built-in accelerometer, physical activity. The gathered data are then wirelessly relayed to Windows-based software for analysis or conversion into an electronic health record.

"It's really useful in things like monitoring in clinical environments, assisted living-care homes, and rehabilitation following surgery," Nicky Denovan, a spokeswoman for Toumaz, tells DOTmed News.

So far, the Life Pebble, which has a battery life of around five days, has been used in a few clinical trials.

"One is a trial for type 2 diabetes, using ECG heart rate function combined with accelerometer function to get accurate energy expenditure data for a behavioral modification program [and] lifestyle management," Keith Errey, CEO of Toumaz, tells DOTmed News.

Another study, run by a pediatric surgeon in London, is looking to see if the Life Pebble could allow children with conditions usually needing observation in a sleep clinic to be monitored, thanks to the Life Pebble, from the comfort of home.

Now that the Life Pebble is out in Europe, a U.S. release is probably down the line. "We haven't finalized our planning on that, but the general answer is 'yes,' but I can't say exactly when."

And Toumaz also hopes to get out another version of the Life Pebble, this one focused on sport and fitness optimizing. A prototype has already been developed, but Toumaz will have to get regulatory approval for its use.

Right now, the Life Pebble, and accompanying software and USB adapter, costs around 600 pounds, or $1,000 dollars.

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