CyberRadar. An innovative device for fighting Covid-19, developed by the scientists of Gdańsk Tech and MUG | Gdańsk University of Technology

– CyberRadar is a device of small dimensions that can be located in any place in a doctor’s office or near the patient’s bed - says Prof. Andrzej Czyżewski, the head of the Department of Multimedia Systems at Gdańsk University of Technology, who developed the innovative device together with his team. – The device has a microwave sensor concealed in a plastic cover and a sensitive camera detecting the position of eyes and arms of the patient, and “positioning” the chest. Subsequently, the embedded screen presents running respiratory and circulatory activity data.

The device has passed the stage of clinical tests, conducted by Gdańsk Tech and MUG scientists on several tens of patients. The patients included both healthy and sick persons, i.a. with hypertension and other chronic diseases. CyberRadar was also used for testing patients hospitalized at the Division of Hypertension and Diabetology of the Medical University of Gdańsk.

– Clinical trials have shown that CyberRadar is a fully effective device, replacing contact devices, such as respiratory belts that require direct handling and regular disinfection - explains Prof. Andrzej Czyżewski. - Consequently, CyberRadar can be a fully functional and safer alternative for the medical staff in the diagnosis and treatment of patients, while providing them with a higher level of safety. Additionally, there is a CyberRadar method of blood circulation assessment under development, which would expand its capabilities.

Potential use of CyberRadar

If the next wave of the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic becomes large again, the device of Gdańsk Tech scientists could be widely used to counter its effects. CyberRadar could be used, inter alia, for monitoring the following patients:

• diagnosed patients - at Hospital Emergency Departments (assessment of indications for admission to hospital),
• hospitalized patients - CyberRadar enables medics to minimize direct contact, while detecting the deterioration of the patient's condition (e.g. the need to connect them to a respirator), and then to assess the possibility of discharging them from the intensive care unit,
• suffering from asymptomatic Covid and simultaneously staying in home quarantine (remote monitoring of the patient's condition),
• in the future and with wide application, also those treated using telemedicine (e.g. telephone counseling): both with suspected infections and under the care of specialist clinics (mainly internal medicine).

That's not everything. The device constructed by the scientists from Gdańsk University of Technology could also be used after defeating the pandemic, e.g. in diagnostics and monitoring (also at home) of patients with heart failure, lung diseases or after a stroke, as well as - with much higher accuracy than devices available on the market - to detect respiratory disorders during sleep of the monitored person.

– CyberRadar could also be used in future scientific research, combining technical sciences with medicine - emphasizes Prof. Krzysztof Narkiewicz, head of the Department and Clinic of Hypertension and Diabetology, MUG, who also participated in the development of the device. - It enables the examination of a wide group of patients, also in scientific research: through a reliable assessment of the rhythm and respiratory pattern, it could be used to study the regulation of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

On 25-26 October, CyberRadar was presented by Prof. Andrzej Czyżewski at the Congress named "Health of Poles" in Warsaw where it received favorable reviews from recognized representatives of the medical community. Researchers from Gdańsk University of Technology are open to the selection of an investor who would like to contribute to the development of the invention, its certification as a medical product, enabling the production of CyberRadar and its introduction to the market in a wide range.

About the project

The development of CyberRadar is the result of a grant obtained by the team of Prof. Andrzej Czyżewski from the Curium - Combating Coronavirus program, introduced at Gdańsk University of Technology in spring 2020 as part of the "Excellence Initiative - Research University" program. The aim of the Curium - Combating Coronavirus program is to broaden the knowledge of the mechanism, methods of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the spread of Covid-19, as well as the use of IT tools in this area. The CyberRadar project was also supported by a grant received by the team of Prof. Krzysztof Narkiewicz from the MUG rector.

Scientists from Gdańsk University of Technology and the Medical University of Gdańsk participated in preparation and development of the device functionality. Scientists from Gdańsk University of Technology included Prof. Andrzej Czyżewski, Prof. B. Kostek, M.Sc. Adam Kurowski, M.Sc. Andrzej Sroczyński, M.Sc. Tomasz Śmiałkowski, Ph.D. Eng. Piotr Odya, Ph.D. Eng.  Piotr Szczuko, Ph.D. Eng. Arkadiusz Harasimiuk. The Medical University of Gdańsk was represented by: Prof. Krzysztof Narkiewicz and MD Ph.D. Beata Graff. 

The interdisciplinary and close cooperation of teams of scientists from Gdańsk University of Technology and the Medical University of Gdańsk is consistent with the idea of the Fahrenheit Universities Union (FarU), co-created by both universities together with the University of Gdańsk. The establishment of FarU is the first stage of the future consolidation of the strongest universities in the region, wishing to create one joint and internationally recognized academic center in the future.