NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY

Our innovation focuses on monitoring age-related changes in muscle (sarcopenia). This affects 10% – 20% of adults over 65 years with associated health care costs estimated to be over £2.5 billion in the UK. Currently there is no reliable non-invasive, low-cost method of measuring muscle health and diagnosing sarcopenia. Our multidisciplinary team at Newcastle University together with a UK company have developed a prototype wearable device- the MyoSock – that is low cost, non-invasive and easy to use. It contains various sensors connected by imprinted circuits enclosed in a knee length sock. A Bluetooth transmitter conveys signals to a smart phone/pc where a muscle index is computed. This device could transform the approach to health care of the ageing population by addressing muscle health, essential for healthy ageing.