IP injects £½m for revolutionary monitoring device

New technology that could revolutionise the way doctors measure patients' vital signs has attracted a £500,000 investment from the intellectual property firm IP Group.

The device, which uses a webcam and computer software, allows medical staff to measure heart rate, respiratory rate and, uniquely, oxygen saturation.

The package could cut back on the need for patients to make repeated visits to doctors. It also has possible applications in gyms and rest homes.

The device has been developed by Oxehealth, a commercial spin-out from Oxford University's Institute of Biomedical Engineering.