FiWare

Spark Works

Spark Works is a young technology company based in Sheffield, United Kingdom, delivering a full stack software platform that solves problems on real IoT deployments in the area of ambient intelligence, smart monitoring and building automation. Spark Works provides an innovative IoTplatform that evolves the current paradigm for developing IoT applications from being totally cloudcentric to being distributed over the network edges. Focusing on HEART project, Spark Works using FIWARE technology develops an innovative
cloudbased system to provide safety, reassurance and quality of life to the postPCI patient and patients with heart failure. Using real time electrocardiography made possible by a wearable, highaccuracy ECG device, the patient's fears and worries are eliminated. Unnecessary hospitalizations and ambulance calls are reduced and response time in case of a critical event is minimized.

The Spark Works team comprises of welltrained industrial and academic researchers, combining skills and expertise in the fields of Internet of Things and Advanced Medical Devices, proficient in offering high quality full stack development and integration services.

Goals and Challenges

Spark Works is a typical example of how a medical researcher’s needs for achieving the optimal diagnostic tool, bridged with a bright engineer’s work can lead to an extraordinary clinical product. Currently, more than 40% of PCI (Percutaneous coronary intervention) patients are readmitted within 16 months, while only 2% of these cases require a second surgery. These unnecessary readmissions increase the costs of the healthcare system.
Spark Works provides a wearable, miniaturized, highaccuracy ECG device that notifies the doctor only in case of emergency. Our solution eliminates patient's fear of death, reduces unnecessary hospitalizations and ambulance calls and minimizes response time in cases of a critical event. Our company has already established partnerships with the academia, medical institutions, ICT companies and commercial companies in the field of medical supplies, offering thus the backbone for the development of the system and its exploitation. In this context our project will offer innovative, market oriented results that are competitive at a global scale.

The Choice of FIWARE

Being a company with industrial and academic researchers with experience in FP7 projects, the choice of FIWARE came as a natural decision when looking at ways to finance our business plan. The Spark Works team saw great potential in the use of FIWARE technology. We knew that via FIWARE and its acceleration programs we will automatically enter a wide European network increasing our company visibility, finding new business partners and starting business relationships within Europe and beyond.

The use of FIWARE technology

By adopting a number of FIWARE technologies we achieved the development of our current system while enriching it with functionalities and improving its scalability.
The Generic Enablers use in the HEART project are:

Object Storage GE : The HEART platform uses the enabler’s efficient and standardized APIs to store ECG traces anonymously.

EHR: for representing the current state of the patient at all times based on incoming events, ECG traces on Object Storage GE and various annotations from doctors.

Orion Context Broker : By using this enabler we are able to store and share context information about the patients, doctors traces and ecg devices available in our system with the services available.

IDM: The IDM enabler allows use to implement a single sign on setup across all our services products and applications.

Benefits and accomplishments

We are now able to cover the functionality needs of a whole hospital where the doctors and nursing faculty are able to monitor their patients wherever they are e.g. either in hospital or at their homes, having the benefit of real time recording and alerting functionalities.
The participation in FIWARE had important positive repercussions on Spark Works:

– The FIWARE program helps us define our idea in a way which will enable us to change transform it into a successful business.

– Mentoring: getting valuable feedback and advice from the FIWARE team by validating our initial assumptions and redefining our business plans.

– Networking: Building a successful business takes a lot of time and drive, so it’s good to have a network of friends and associates to draw energy from and keep you going. Spark Works is participating in international events, getting in touch with business partners or potential investors, offering industry expertise and a strong network which.