Using hybrid printed electronics technology, Holst Centre has developed a wearable optical sensor by integrating silicon photodiodes with multiple light sources and readout electronics into a lightweight and flexible patch. By recording optical signals from the skin using light sources with different wavelengths, our patch simultaneously measures signals from different skin depths. This provides advantages to overcome significant challenges in the field.

Our current R&D is focused on photoplethysmography (PPG) by recording optical signals from the illumination of the human tissue. Morphological features from the PPG signal can be translated into pathophysiological parameters of interest such as within cardiovascular disease to diabetes.

Your challenge

Working in an interdisciplinary team of engineers and scientist (electrical engineering, material science, biomedical photonics), you will measure and analyse PPG signals using Holst Centre’s wearable optical sensor patch and existing software platforms. The focus will be on extracting morphological features from the sensors for specific biomarkers, in this case glucose.

Project goal

• Gain a basic understanding of biomedical optics and of propagation of the light in the human tissue

• Provide a literature review on optical techniques and signal characteristics related to blood glucose measurement

• Provide recommendations to improve the functionality of the device in future iterations  

• Set protocols to test functionality of our patch

• Conduct lab experiments and potential volunteer study

• Communicate via presentations and report writing findings

Your tasks

As a team member your tasks will be:

• Knowledge acquisition through literature survey, discussion with other team members, and internal seminars/colloquiums

• Data acquisition through measurements

• Analysis and presentation of experimental data

• Documentation of results in a technical report or scientific publication

• Presentation of results in internal seminars/colloquiums

Your Profile

• A master’s degree in biomedical engineering, biomedical sciences, biology, physics, optics or related with both theoretical and experimental skills

• You have good communication skills in English

• Independent but also a team player

• Affinity for biomedical photonics

• Analytical skills – ability to make analysis of complex situation and make a plan forward.

Have we sparked your interest? Then please sen your applications or any questions you may have to:

Ahmad Khatoun (ahmad.khatoun@tno.nl)d