Nokia Bell Labs & Cambridge Future Tech: Advancing Health AI

Nokia Bell Labs, the research arm of Finnish telecommunications company Nokia, has partnered with Cambridge Future Tech to develop what they describe as the world's first ear-worn AI platform for health monitoring.

The platform, called OmniBuds, uses machine learning algorithms to process physiological data collected from sensors placed within wireless earbuds. The system monitors heart rate, respiration, and physical activity through contact points in the ear canal.

Cambridge Future Tech, a UK-based venture builder that commercialises research innovations, will lead the scaling and market deployment of the technology. It specialises in transforming research innovations into commercial enterprises.

The development comes as healthcare providers seek methods to monitor patient health remotely. Ear-worn devices present an alternative to existing wearable technology, offering a fixed position for sensor placement.

Advancing research via the partnership

The collaboration builds upon Nokia Bell Labs' existing relationship with the University of Cambridge. In 2018, Nokia Bell Labs became a founding partner of the Centre for Mobile, Wearable Systems and Augmented Intelligence at Cambridge's Department of Computer Science and Technology.

The centre focuses on developing mobile systems, security protocols, new materials and AI applications to enhance human communication capabilities.

"This engagement between Nokia and Cambridge Future Tech offers an accelerated external research commercialisation pathway to harness the innovation developed by Nokia Bell Labs and utilise Cambridge Future Tech's venture building prowess, to create new products and services for augmenting people's lives," says Mike Chen, Vice President of Ventures and Partnerships at Nokia.

The partnership is also eager to accelerate the transition from research to commercial product, combining Nokia Bell Labs' technical expertise with Cambridge Future Tech's market knowledge.

AI wearables advancing healthcare 

The OmniBuds platform processes physiological data using AI algorithms that run directly on the earbuds. The ear canal then provides consistent sensor contact compared to wrist-worn devices, which can shift position during use. Such stability is able to allow more reliable data collection for healthcare applications.

The technology also enables healthcare providers to receive continuous, real-time data about patient vital signs. This monitoring capability could support earlier medical interventions based on changes in patient health indicators.

Owen Thompson, CEO and co-founder of Cambridge Future Tech, says: "OmniBuds has the potential to completely transform the health tech space and positively impact people's lives around the world."

The platform targets both consumer and healthcare provider markets. For healthcare providers, the system offers a method of monitoring patients remotely while collecting consistent data. For consumers, it provides health monitoring capabilities integrated into a familiar device format.

The development builds on research into the ear as a location for physiological monitoring. The position offers reduced movement interference compared to wrist-mounted devices, potentially increasing measurement accuracy.

Nokia Bell Labs brings expertise in telecommunications and sensor technology to the project, while Cambridge Future Tech contributes experience in commercialising research innovations.

Thierry E. Klein, President of Bell Labs Solutions Research at Nokia, says: "We look to organisations like Cambridge Future Tech to accelerate the value creation from our research by taking our technology innovations out of the lab and putting them into the real-world."

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