WHEN ten polar explorers set foot on the ice of Antarctica later this month, their medical condition will be monitored every step of the way, using wireless body sensors pioneered in Oxfordshire.

Toumaz, a company based at Milton Park, near Didcot, has developed a ‘smart’ monitor called Sensium, which it hopes will revolutionise healthcare.

The Moon Regan Transantarctic Expedition explorers will travel 3,600 miles over 40 days, wearing Sensium-enabled monitors known as ‘digital plasters’ to check their vital signs such as heart rate, temperature and respiration.

Noel Hurley, of Toumaz, said: “It’s a bit like an Elastoplast, the size of the palm of your hand, and lies on top of your chest.

“The polar explorers will use essentially the same technology that we have developed for hospitals, but a non-disposable version because they will wear it for a long time.”

The digital plaster sends signals to a laptop which will record their physiological response to the extreme conditions so that they don’t need to be wired up to bulky machines. Mr Hurley said Sensium’s ultra-low-power silicon chip would improve productivity, cut costs and support the shift of healthcare from hospital to the home and community.

“The drivers for this revolution are compelling.

“The global demographic trend towards ageing populations, coupled with less active lifestyles and fast-food diets, is leading to higher probability and earlier onset of chronic conditions such as Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.”

A spin-out from Imperial College, London, Toumaz was founded in 2000 at Culham by wireless technology pioneer Prof Chris Toumazou.

It is now expanding after taking on an extra 25 engineers and support staff in the past six to eight months, bringing its workforce to more than 60.

Finance manager Marie Grice said: “Toumaz is undergoing a period of rapid expansion and increased headcount as we make a transition from technology and production development to customer delivery.”

Philip Campbell, of MEPC Milton Park, said: “It is great to be able to support Toumaz’s expansion at Milton Park.

“This innovative company is developing at a rapid pace and we are delighted we have been able to arrange for Toumaz to expand whilst retaining all the benefits of staying in such a successful location.”