An instant sensor that can detect COVID-19 and smart bedding monitors for aged care residents are among the projects to be developed with the Andrews Labor Government supporting a groundbreaking new medical device prototype facility at RMIT University.

Minister for Higher Education Gayle Tierney today announced a $12.7 million Labor Government investment towards the new $16 million centre at RMIT’s City Campus as part of the Victorian Higher Education State Investment Fund.

The Victorian Medical Device Prototyping and Scale-Up Facility will be the first ISO-accredited prototyping facility in Asia-Pacific to focus on the development of non-invasive wearable and nearable medical technologies, which are used for diagnosis and monitoring of a range of healthcare issues.

Wearables refer to wireless electronic devices that can be worn as accessories, embedded in clothing or implanted in the body, while nearables are smart devices that can sense and send data but do not need to be attached to a person.

The facility brings together start-ups, small businesses, and researchers to collaborate on field and clinical trials for products looking to be taken to market.

Initial projects include:

• An instant sensor for detecting COVID-19 and other infectious respiratory illnesses such as influenza and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus;
• Smart bedding products for aged care, using stretchable electronics technology (skin-like, ultralight electronics) to monitor sleep and vital signs; and
• Minimally invasive wearables for health monitoring and diagnostics.

Swinburne, Deakin and Monash universities are collaborating with RMIT on the facility’s design – but once open it will be available to all Victorian universities as a place to collaborate with industry.

The Labor Government’s $350 million Victorian Higher Education State Investment Fund supports universities with capital works, applied research and research infrastructure to support jobs and the state’s economic rebound from the coronavirus crisis.