The Team

Prof Yang Wei, Nottingham Trent University

Prof John Hunt, Nottingham Trent University

Shadrack Aboagye, Nottingham Trent University

Partners: Dr Olubukola Ayodele, University Hospitals or Leicester NHS Trust and Dr Sarah Bolton, CHEATA.

Project Summary

Breast cancer survivors face a critical gap in post-treatment care, relying on infrequent hospital-based imaging that can delay the detection of recurrence or an ineffective response to chemotherapy. This creates significant patient anxiety and represents a major unmet need in rehabilitation monitoring. This project will establish the feasibility of adapting a novel smart bra, which uses Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) technology, into a low-cost, wearable device for continuous at-home monitoring.

Over 12 months, this impact-focused project will validate the clinical need and market demand through extensive stakeholder engagement. The team will conduct in-depth consultations with East Midlands oncologists, clinicians, and NHS commissioners and run co-design workshops with breast cancer survivors at the University Hospital of Leicester (UHL) NHS Trust to produce a user-led product specification.

The project’s primary outcome will be an investment-ready business case and a detailed plan for a follow-on project focused on full-scale development and clinical trials. This work will bridge the gap between academic research and commercialisation, paving the way for a RehabTech solution that improves patient outcomes, reduces health inequalities, and strengthens the regional MedTech economy

Contact: yang.wei@ntu.ac.uk