HOPR, a blockchain-based data privacy company, and Sedimentum, a Swiss healthcare start-up, have announced a technological partnership in a bid to protect privacy in healthcare emergencies.

Sedimentum aims to ensure unattended vulnerable and elderly people get immediate care in the event of health threatening events, while alleviating the burden on nursing staff and relatives. Sedimentum’s solution consists of a sensor device – the size of a smoke detector – which is installed on the ceiling and utilises AI-software and a data anonymisation procedure.

Dr. Sebastian Bürgel, founder of HOPR, said: “We’re honoured to work with Sedimentum in ensuring that families have peace of mind when it comes to their loved ones without compromising their privacy. Our unique privacy technology is part of Sedimentum’s data anonymisation procedure and therefore helps to protect the privacy of vulnerable people worldwide.”

Sedimentum’s technology won a start-up prize awarded jointly by Tech Data Switzerland and Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. It is a non-wearable sensor device that can detect falls, respiratory arrests, and other anomalies without using cameras or microphones. HOPR recently received $1 million in funding from a group of investors, including Binance Labs, a blockchain incubator and investment firm, to continue building its free, open source protocol that protects data privacy for all participants.

Sandro Cilurzo, founder and CEO of Sedimentum, said: “HOPR has developed this ground-breaking open source technology to be used by privacy-aware developers all over the world. HOPR is integrated in our cutting-edge privacy-preserving technology to save lives without compromising privacy.”