ELSAH · Project

Disposable Smart Patch That Reads Your Blood Biomarkers Through the Skin for €2

healthTestedTRL 6

elsah.researchproject.at

Imagine a small sticker — about the size of a large postage stamp — that you press onto your skin. Tiny painless microneedles poke just below the surface and continuously measure your glucose and lactate levels, sending the results straight to your phone. The whole thing lasts at least 24 hours, checks every 5 minutes, and the team designed it so the final commercial version costs no more than €2 per patch. Three increasingly integrated versions were built, from a basic platform all the way to a compact modular system ready for manufacturing.

By the numbers

€2

Maximum target cost per patch for commercial version

24 hours

Minimum continuous monitoring period per patch

5 minutes

Maximum measurement interval between readings

16 cm²

Maximum total patch area

4 mm

Maximum patch thickness

Consortium partners across 5 countries

Generations of demonstrators built

45%

Industry partner ratio in consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Current continuous glucose monitors are expensive, bulky, and limited to a single biomarker. Disposable health patches that can measure multiple molecular biomarkers cheaply and wirelessly do not yet exist at consumer-friendly price points. Companies in wearables, corporate health, and sports tech lack access to affordable, integrated biosensor patch technology that can be mass-produced.

The solution

What was built

The team built three generations of a smart patch system: flexible printed patches tested in-vitro (Vienna) and in-vivo (Graz), plus full 1st and 2nd generation system demonstrators integrating microneedle biosensors, microchip, printed battery, printed electronics, and wireless phone connectivity — all within a 16 cm², 4 mm-thick package designed for a €2 per-unit manufacturing cost.

Audience

Who needs this

Continuous glucose monitor manufacturers looking to reduce device costWearable health tech companies wanting to add molecular biomarker sensingCorporate wellness platforms seeking scalable employee health monitoringSports performance analytics companies needing real-time lactate trackingPrinted electronics manufacturers looking for high-volume medical applications

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Medical devices & wearables

mid-size

Target: Wearable health device manufacturer or continuous glucose monitor company

If you are a medical device company dealing with the high cost and complexity of continuous glucose monitors — this project developed a fully integrated smart patch with microneedle biosensors, printed electronics, and wireless phone connectivity, all within 16 cm² and designed for a post-project manufacturing cost of no more than €2 per patch. Three generations of demonstrators were built, including patches tested in-vivo.

Corporate wellness & occupational health

enterprise

Target: Corporate wellness platform or occupational health service provider

If you are a workplace wellness provider struggling to get employees to do regular health checks — this project created a non-invasive patch that measures glucose and lactate every 5 minutes for at least 24 hours, with data sent wirelessly to a mobile phone. The low target cost of €2 per patch makes large-scale deployment across workforces economically viable.

Sports & fitness technology

SME

Target: Sports performance analytics or fitness wearables company

If you are a sports tech company looking for real-time molecular data beyond heart rate and step counts — this project built a patch system that continuously tracks lactate levels (a key indicator of exercise intensity and recovery) alongside glucose, in a device just 4 mm thick and 16 cm² in area. The 5-minute measurement interval gives athletes and coaches near-real-time metabolic insight.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would a commercial version of this patch cost?

The project explicitly designed the system so that the post-project commercial version costs no more than €2 per patch. This target drove their choice of components and integration process, including printed batteries and printed electronics to keep manufacturing affordable.

Can this be manufactured at industrial scale?

The project developed three generations of the patch system with consecutively increasing integration levels, moving from interchangeable standard components to a final modular solution. The use of printed electronics and printed batteries was specifically chosen to enable cost-effective mass fabrication. However, full industrial-scale production lines would still need to be established post-project.

What about intellectual property and licensing?

The consortium of 11 partners across 5 countries includes 5 industry partners and 3 SMEs, all contributing distinct technologies (microneedle manufacturing, electrochemical biosensors, printed electronics, advanced processing). IP is likely shared across partners under the consortium agreement. Licensing inquiries should go through the coordinator, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology.

What biomarkers does it actually measure?

The patch performs simultaneous electrochemical quantification of glucose and lactate concentrations in the interstitial fluid. These are two of the most commercially relevant metabolic biomarkers for both health monitoring and sports performance.

How far along is the technology — is it just a concept?

This is well beyond concept stage. The consortium built three generations of demonstrators, including patches tested in-vivo (on living subjects) in Graz and in-vitro patches from Vienna. A full 1st and 2nd generation system demonstrator were delivered. Based on available project data, regulatory approval and commercial manufacturing remain as next steps.

Does it need special equipment or infrastructure to use?

No. The patch is fully self-sustained with its own printed battery and microchip, requiring only a standard mobile phone to receive wireless data. The total patch area is no more than 16 cm² at a maximum thickness of 4 mm — comparable to a typical adhesive bandage.

Are there regulatory hurdles?

As a wearable medical device measuring biomarkers in interstitial fluid, it would require regulatory clearance (CE marking in Europe, FDA in the US). The project focused on the technology development through demonstrator stage. Based on available project data, regulatory pathway work would be a key post-project activity before market entry.

Consortium

Who built it

The ELSAH consortium of 11 partners across 5 countries (AT, DE, ES, IE, UK) is well-balanced for commercialization: 5 industry partners (45% of the consortium) including 3 SMEs bring direct market access and manufacturing know-how, while 4 universities and 2 research organizations provide the science. The coordinator, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, is a major applied research institute with a strong track record in technology transfer. The presence of both large industry players and SMEs suggests the technology has attracted interest from companies at different stages of the value chain — from component suppliers to device integrators. This mix makes licensing or joint venture discussions realistic.

AIT AUSTRIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY GMBHCoordinator · AT
INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA AGparticipant · AT
MEDIZINISCHE UNIVERSITAT GRAZparticipant · AT
IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINEparticipant · UK
SARALONparticipant · DE
DIRECTSENS GMBHparticipant · AT
DEUTSCHE SPORTHOCHSCHULE KOLNparticipant · DE
ACONDICIONAMIENTO TARRASENSE ASSOCIACIONparticipant · ES
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK - NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, CORKparticipant · IE

How to reach the team

AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH (Austria) — contact through SciTransfer for a warm introduction to the project team.

Order a report on this consortium See AIT AUSTRIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY GMBH profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing this patch technology or integrating it into your product line? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the ELSAH consortium. Contact us for a one-page technology brief.

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