In the first of our new series, The Clinic Effect, we highlight current and past IP Innovation Clinic clients from our 15-year history of helping advance IP sophistication and support in Ontario and across Canada.
What does your sweat reveal about you? According to , Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Lassonde School of Engineering, 첥Ƶ, quite a lot. Neda and the team she leads at LAB-HA (Laboratory of Advanced Biotechnologies for Health Assessment) have developed , a wearable biosensing platform that analyzes sweat to detect early-stage biomarkers of diseases such as autoimmune disorders, breast cancer, Alzheimer’s, and epilepsy.
The Innovation
With a background in biomedical engineering, Neda specializes in wearable biosensors, microfluidic diagnostics, and AI-integrated health monitoring systems designed to address real-world healthcare challenges through translational innovation.
Neda created WearDOXX to address the lack of accessible, non-invasive, and proactive screening tools for early detection of chronic and cancer/neurological diseases. Conventional diagnostics often rely on costly, invasive procedures, such as imaging, EEGs, or spinal taps, that are not available to many people, especially those in rural or underserved communities.
The WearDOXX platform combines microfluidic colorimetric sensing—a process that uses color change in a solution to detect the presence of certain substances—with AI-enabled smartphone analysis. The platform provides a non-invasive, real-time solution for early disease detection that can be used in home and community settings.
"WearDOXX enables individuals to monitor their health with a simple, wearable patch, democratizing access to early screening.” - Dr. Neda Salahandish
The Impact
The global market size for the wearable device industry, which WearDOXX falls into, was valued at an estimated $45 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $151.8 billion by the end of 2029.1 That is a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.5%, driven primarily by the rising prevalence of chronic conditions, such as respiratory diseases, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
Neda believes that WearDOXX can contribute to job creation and social betterment in Canada through enabling early detection outside of clinical settings. This will, in turn, help reduce healthcare disparities, lower system costs, and improve health outcomes, particularly for marginalized populations. Neda adds, “Socially, this empowers individuals to take control of their health; economically, it helps decrease the burden of late-stage disease care while contributing to Canada’s innovation economy through health tech commercialization and job creation.”
WearDOXX’s targeted demographic includes,
- Patients and caregivers in need of easy, proactive monitoring tools
- Clinicians and healthcare systems looking to expand preventive care
- Public health organizations focused on equitable access to diagnostics
WearDOXX helps these groups by offering a cost-effective, user-friendly alternative to traditional diagnostics, making early screening more inclusive and scalable. The platform has received “highly positive” feedback from clinicians, engineers, and stakeholders, who are also highlighting this innovation’s potential to “close diagnostic gaps and increase accessibility.” Neda says there is strong interest from individuals who want to participate in user studies and future clinical pilots, particularly those working in community healthcare.
The IP
Neda learned about the IP Innovation Clinic’s services through our collaboration with the Lassonde School of Engineering. According to her, “The Clinic has provided invaluable guidance on navigating intellectual property strategy—from initial patent scoping to understanding IP protections for our wearable system and AI software. Their support has helped us protect our innovation and plan confidently for future commercialization.”
“Engage with IP experts early in the process. Protect your work before publishing or pitching externally, and take time to understand the different types of IP protections available. The support of clinics like the IP Innovation Clinic can make a big difference in aligning your IP strategy with your long-term goals.” - Dr. Neda Salahandish
The Next Steps...
There are a lot of exciting things happening for the WearDOXX team, and they are open to collaborations of all kinds. Neda and her team are currently seeking:
- Clinical collaborators for pilot testing and validation
- Strategic partners and early-stage investors to scale the technology and move toward regulatory approval
- Public health and community organizations to support implementation in real-world care environments
To learn more or connect, please visit and or email Neda at raziehs@yorku.ca or neda@weardoxx.com.
- BCC Publishing, Wearable Medical Devices: Technologies and Global Markets, HLC192D, July 2024 ↩︎