Wearable sensors assist in developing safer and better home dialysis - HUS and VTT start testing with patients

ESPOO, Finland, Jan. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- HUS Helsinki University Hospital and VTT are starting a field test of wearable sensors to develop home dialysis. A total of 36 volunteer patients will use the sensors that enable monitoring of treatment effectivity. Making home dialysis safer and better would improve life quality and save society millions of euros annually.

Currently, dialysis treatment of the kidneys typically requires three weekly hospital visits. It is expensive to society and burdensome for patients, lowering the quality of life and treatment outcomes.

Home dialysis is preferable and much cheaper, but its availability is still limited. Also, because patients typically visit the hospital for follow-up every second or third month, there is a lack of information between visits. Therefore, Helsinki University Hospital (HUS), together with VTT as a technology partner, is starting a field test to monitor home dialysis patients.

"If we could increase home treatment and have a better feeling of its safety, we could improve outcomes and raise the life quality of patients. The whole society could save about eleven million euros per year," says Virpi Rauta, Lead of CleverHealth Network Ecosystem at Helsinki University Hospital.

VTT's wearable sensors collect real-time data

Testing involves 36 volunteer patients using wearable sensors developed and made by VTT. As only two patients per week will participate, it will take over six months to gather all data. The sensors gather data on cardiac activity and hemodynamic and oxygen levels.

"Patients are wearing two wirelessly synchronised sensors, and VTT's algorithms are embedded in the devices and software. We collect and calculate multimodal data before and after dialysis to understand what happens. As engineers, we only understand numbers and patterns and consult experts at HUS to analyse clinical aspects, biochemistry and physiology," tells Mohammad H. Behfar, Senior Scientist at VTT.

He emphasises the importance of the full design and development chain that VTT manages from conception to pilot fabrication. VTT has long-term experience with ECG patches and medical technology development. In 2023, for instance, VTT announced the one of the first biodegradable ECG patches in the world.

"We believe our wearable sensors are mature enough to support the needs to monitor home dialysis. However, whatever we design, we want a proper field assessment of the technology. What keeps me motivated is the hope of really finding patterns in the data that are meaningful for home dialysis," Behfar continues.

The project is funded by the Research Council of Finland. Coordination and fine-tuning began already in 2022. Now, all medical and ethical research permits are in order, and testing with pre-recruited patients is ready to begin.

"The study is burdensome for patients because the devices are changed on the second day. But dialysis itself is burdensome, and patients understand that the technology needs to improve," says Virpi Rauta from HUS.

Still, user acceptance is a classic challenge. "For instance, some most sensitive people might find the adhesive tape of the ECG patch too itchy, while most won't even notice it after a few minutes. However, in this type of volunteer study, patients are committed," Behfar says.

Further information:

VTT
Mohammad H. Behfar, Senior Scientist
[email protected], tel. +358 40 124 2956

HUS Helsinki University Hospital
Virpi Rauta, CleverHealth Network Ecosystem Lead, Development Manager and Nephrologist
[email protected], tel. +358 40 528 3147

CONTACT: 

Further information on VTT:
Paula Bergqvist, Communications Manager
+358 20 722 5161, [email protected]
www.vttresearch.com

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SOURCE VTT Info