maphera® – Modular Sensor Platform

maphera^® is a mobile sensor network for the wireless, multimodal collection of physiological data. The platform was developed to consistently and synchronously record high-quality biosignals and motion data beyond controlled laboratory settings.

The acquisition of high-quality physiological data is crucial for applied research, personalized healthcare applications, and the training of AI algorithms. The greatest challenge consists of obtaining meaningful and accurate multimodal measurements while ensuring the mobility of participants and data consistency.

Synchronous data acquisition, in particular, poses a challenge, as inconsistent data can complicate multimodal analysis. This is precisely where maphera^® comes in, combining mobile data acquisition with high-precision synchronization of various measurement modalities.

Unlike conventional methods of data acquisition, maphera^®guarantees

maximum freedom of movement,
anywhere accessibility,
medical-grade physiological signal quality,
flexible sensor configuration, and
data consistency through wireless synchronization.

Plug & Research: designed for research under real-world conditions

maphera^® is a mobile sensor platform for the multimodal acquisition of physiological data. The platform integrates various sensors and wearables into a joint network, thereby enabling the synchronous acquisition of different measurement modalities.

Typical modalities currently include, for example, sensors integrated into wristbands and headbands or smart patches, textiles with integrated ECG technology, and various other physiological sensors. The combination of different physiological and motion-related data provides a comprehensive understanding of human motion, physical exertion, and health.

The modular design of maphera^®allows for rapid adaptation to specific applications and provides a flexible plug-and-play solution for research.

Wireless communication enables consistent data acquisition beyond controlled laboratory settings. All integrated sensor nodes are synchronized with an accuracy of 30 µs, thereby providing a joint, high-precision data set for multimodal research and development.

maphera® in action

maphera® was developed for “in the wild” use. The sensor platform enables multimodal physiological monitoring in automotive applications, healthcare and nursing, workplace safety, crisis and emergency situations, as well as sports and performance diagnostics.

The benefits of multimodal data acquisition

Measuring individual parameters often provides only a partial view of the big picture. Only the synchronous acquisition of various physiological signals enables a comprehensive understanding of human motion, physical exertion, and health. maphera® combines different measurement modalities into a joint sensor network, thereby establishing a basis for consistent data sets under real-world conditions.

maphera is a mobile sensor platform featuring wireless and native sensor integration. — © Fraunhofer IIS
Fraunhofer maphera® is a mobile and extendible sensor platform for multimodal data collection.

Platform architecture and features

The maphera^® mobile sensor platform enables the consistent collection of multimodal physiological data under real-world conditions. The decentralized sensor network combines various sensors and wearables within a joint infrastructure, thereby establishing the basis for high-quality datasets in research and development.

Key features of the platform include:

Native sensor integration for various measurement modalities
Wireless communication ensures data integrity, allowing participants to collect high-quality, accurate data while doing sports or in everyday life
Storage of raw data at full resolution
Live streaming of vital signs for real-time analysis
Unified transmission protocol using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)

The generic network features a compact sensor interface that facilitates the integration of new and customer-specific sensors. A ready-to-use user interface is available for setup and visualization. In addition, the open API enables the development of individual applications and the customization of existing user interfaces to meet specific requirements.

The perfect maphera^® edition for your project

Whether it’s research, development, or customized sensor integration: Contact us to find the right edition for your application.

maphera^® Go

The Easy Way to Get Started with Multimodal Biosignal Acquisition

Includes ECG and IMU sensors.

Ideal for research projects, pilot studies, and the evaluation of new applications.

maphera^® Dev

The solution for development and prototyping

Offers extended technical access to the platform and is suitable for research and development projects wishing to integrate their own hardware components or sensors.

maphera^® Pro

Customized sensor technology for individual requirements

For companies and research institutions with specific requirements. Users can integrate their own sensors or jointly develop new measurement modalities and wearables.

Key facts at a glance

Expand all Close all

What physiological data does maphera® track?

© Fraunhofer IIS / Paul Pulkert

maphera^® enables the synchronous recording of various physiological signals and motion data within a joint sensor network. Typical measurement parameters currently include, for example, electrocardiograms (ECG), photoplethysmographic signals (PPG) for recording cardiac and circulatory parameters, and motion data from inertial measurement units (IMUs).

Thanks to its modular design, maphera^® can be flexibly expanded to include additional sensors and measurement modalities. In addition to the already available sensors, new or customer-specific sensors can also be seamlessly integrated into the sensor network and corresponding wearables. The basis for this is a compact sensor interface that enables the native integration of additional measurement modalities.
How does sensor data synchronization work?

© Fraunhofer IIS
Unlike traditional methods of multimodal data acquisition, maphera® enables maximum freedom of movement, excellent signal quality, and data consistency all at once.

In multimodal measurements, data from different sensors must be precisely synchronized. maphera^® handles this synchronization automatically and wirelessly. All integrated sensors are synchronized during recording with an accuracy of 30 µs.

This results in consistent datasets that precisely link, for example, motion data, cardiovascular parameters, and other physiological signals.

Advantages of automated synchronization:

Automated synchronization: Sensors are synchronized without manual intervention. This reduces errors in data integration and improves the quality of multimodal datasets.

Increased efficiency: Time-consuming synchronization steps are eliminated. This accelerates research processes and saves personnel resources.

Consistent data set: All measurement data are referenced to the same timeline and can be analyzed together directly.

Greater reproducibility: Standardized processes facilitate the comparison of measurements and studies.

How does maphera® support mobile measurements under real-world conditions?

maphera^® relies on wireless communication and a decentralized sensor architecture. This allows for the collection of high-quality, accurate data without restricting the mobility of test subjects.

A key feature is the seamless mode switching. The maphera^® CN node can seamlessly switch between computer, smartphone, and autonomous modes during an active measurement without interrupting data collection. This allows live data to be reviewed as needed while test subjects remain fully mobile.

Three modes are available, and users can switch between them at any time during a recording:

ModE	Live-Data	Configurability	Mobility
Computer	Yes	Full	Local
Smartphone	Yes	Partial	High
Autonomous	No	No	Maximum

In a typical use case, the sensor network is initially configured on a computer and the signals are verified. The measurement can subsequently be continued without interruption while the participants go on with their everyday activities. If needed, the data can later be reviewed on a smartphone or transferred for further analysis.

In addition, its autonomous operation makes it particularly easy to use. Once set up, measurements can be started without a computer or smartphone – even independently by participants at home, outdoors, or at any remote study location.

How does maphera® support rapid prototyping?

maphera^® was developed as a flexible research platform to shorten development loops and evaluate new applications more efficiently. Instead of building a complete sensor infrastructure from scratch, researchers and development partners can rely on existing hardware and software components and adapt them to their requirements.

Thanks to its integration into wearables, maphera^® is suitable not only for laboratory studies but also for measurements under real-world conditions. This allows new concepts to be tested and validated at an early stage.

If additional measurement parameters are required, new or custom sensors can be natively integrated into the sensor network via a compact sensor front end. In addition, we work with our partners to develop new measurement modalities for specific research and application fields.
Can I test maphera®?

© Fraunhofer IIS / Paul Pulkert
maphera® Dev

Interested partners from research and industry are welcome to discuss potential evaluation and application scenarios with us. To get things started quickly, maphera^® Go – a preconfigured sensor platform for the mobile collection of physiological data and movement patterns – is available.

Depending on the specific use case, we also provide support in selecting suitable sensors, configuring the sensor network, and conducting initial feasibility studies with maphera^® and customized system extensions.

Plug & Research

maphera^® – Biosignal Acquisition on the Go

Benefits Overview

Plug & Research: designed for research under real-world conditions

maphera® in action

The benefits of multimodal data acquisition

Platform architecture and features

Publication