Zedsen hits $110m valuation – Non-invasive sensors for medical and security
12-04-2021 | By Robin Mitchell
Recently, UK advanced sensor company Zedsen has reached a valuation of $110m after it demonstrated its intention to produce a wearable medical device next year. Who is Zedsen, what technology have they developed, and what applications does their technology provide?
Who is Zedsen?
Zedsen is a next-generation sensor developer based in the UK and was founded in 2014. The three founders of Zedsen, Sir Charles Masefield, Dan Honeywell, and Dr Hrand Mamigonians, collectively have over 30 years of experience in advanced sensors, and decided to form Zedsen to push the boundaries of sensor technology into the commercial space. Zedsen has worked with multiple organisations and institutions including the University of Oxford and Innovate UK.
What technology has Zedsen developed?
The sensor technology developed by Zedsen involves using 3D sensor structures that are non-invasive and non-radiating while also being biologically inert. The sensor utilises a flexible membrane that creates many small electric fields, and different materials in proximity to the fields create unique disturbances. From there, the data is fed into an AI system that can recognise different materials and structures.
Furthermore, electric fields allow the sensors to penetrate materials such as soft tissue and liquids non-invasively. This allows the sensor system to map sub-surface structures, and it is this ability sees Zedsen looking towards the medical field for their technology.
What applications will Zedsen technology allow?
One of the major features behind the new sensor technology developed by Zedsen is that it is constructed on a flexible substrate. This allows for the sensor to wrap and deform to a surface with no damage to the sensor.
The sensor's flexible nature, combined with the biological inertness, means that the sensor can be used in a medical environment to monitor patients. Thanks to the sensor's non-invasive nature, medical professionals could use the sensor to see deeper into the body without needing to cut open or take x-rays.
In fact, the potential for medical equipment is so great that Zedsen is planning to release a medical device in the next year. The device, which would be worn on the body, will allow customers to see and read blood levels, and an additional app will allow customers, who pay a subscription, to get more details on their body.
Furthermore, the ability to read key levels such as glucose and sodium allows individuals to be their own doctor essentially. Instead of requiring frequent blood tests (such as those needed by diabetics), patients can have real-time data on their vitals. Therefore, patients can also react to their body in real-time and better fight off emergencies such as diabetic shock and pressure spikes.
The sensor's ability and desire to create a medical device for the consumer market next year has seen investors value Zedsen at $110m. The company has already secured $12m from a range of investors, and the high valuation indicates that Zedsen’s plans are most likely feasible.
Of course, the sensing technology developed by Zedsen also has other practical uses. Another application mentioned by Zedsen is airport security. A luggage scanning system could be used to look for specific materials and help to catch out items and materials that may be missed by airport security.
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