Health data, distributed across various applications, could be unified in a digital medical twin: This is how doctors could improve patient care with the future mobile communication standard 6G. Researchers from RPTU and the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) are examining the necessary infrastructure. They are developing a functional demonstrator that fuses various sensors using mobile communication and a unified communication standard, making measurement data accessible at a glance. They will present their concept at the Medica medical technology fair, held in Düsseldorf (Germany) from November 11 to 14, at the Rheinland-Pfalz joint stand (Hall 3 / E92).

There are now many sensors and tools available for capturing health-related data, such as fitness bracelets that measure pulse or ECG apps that monitor heart and circulatory health. The challenge is that these are usually manufacturer-specific, closed systems that are not compatible with each other. In other words, the data is dispersed in individual silos. However, in aggregated form, this data could be much more valuable.

Focus on People and Health
"We are investigating how various sensor data that provides insights into human health can be meaningfully linked using mobile communication to create a holistic personalized picture," explains Jan Herbst, a member of the research team. The researchers use specially developed printed circuit boards (PCBs) as sensor carriers and collaborate with manufacturers that provide compatible sensors. In the project, they are developing the network protocol that forms the basis for the exchange and aggregation of data between all system units. The network topology, which determines how the data flow is organized, follows a ring layout: "In this setup, the sensors are connected in a closed loop, allowing for efficient and reliable data transmission. Each sensor communicates directly with its neighbor, ensuring low latency and high fault tolerance," says Herbst.

An asset for preventive medicine
With the feasibility study, the researchers aim to highlight the potential of 6G. “6G can fundamentally improve healthcare. We already carry many sensors that monitor our fitness or health. With data aggregation, preventive health measures, in particular, could be enhanced because doctors would be able to access all critical health factors at a glance, anytime – provided that patients have given their consent. Ultimately, people would benefit enormously from a medical digital twin like this,” adds Marc Ruffing, who is also part of the project team.

Contribution to the “Open6GHub”
The demonstrator is being developed in the Open6GHub project in cooperation with the 6G Health project. The Open6GHub is coordinated by Professor Hans Schotten, Head of the Institute for Wireless Communication and Navigation at the RPTU and Head of the Intelligent Networks Research Department at the DFKI. In addition to the RPTU and the DFKI, other universities and research institutes are involved in the Open6GHub. The partners in the research network want to contribute to the development of an overall 6G architecture and also to launch end-to-end solutions in the following areas, among others: extended network topologies with highly agile so-called organic networking, security and resilience, THz and photonic transmission methods, sensor functionalities in the networks and their intelligent use and further processing, and application-specific radio protocols. On this journey, the researchers are open to dialogue and cooperation: “We are seeking an early and interactive dialogue with the public and are equally willing to cooperate with industry and users,” says Schotten. “To this end, we are installing OpenLabs and open experimental fields. Last but not least, we want to promote an open innovation system by involving SMEs and start-ups and their results.”