Context
The Measure Lab is the applied measurement lab within Product Development, working chiefly on medical products, devices and diagnostics: defining new requirements for an existing product, redesigning products already in clinical use, and developing entirely new devices where no commercial equivalent exists.
The lab pairs physical measurement — mechanical, dimensional and biosensing — with a repeatable five-step design methodology: problem statement, component fabrication, clean assembly, testing & validation, and results & outcomes. Devices developed or validated through the lab range from wearable biosensors and reusable surgical textiles to drone-delivered medical payloads and hospital equipment prototypes. Patients, clinicians and biomedical researchers are kept in the development loop throughout, with the aim of producing evidence that carries forward into further studies, publications and patent filings.
1. Problem statement — 2. Component fabrication — 3. Clean assembly — 4. Testing & validation — 5. Results & outcomes
1. Problem statement — 2. Component fabrication — 3. Clean assembly — 4. Testing & validation — 5. Results & outcomesBeyond medical devices, the same measurement approach is applied to maritime and industrial problems, including port operations and fishing-gear safety.
Topics
- Medical device design — new requirements, redesigns and entirely new products
- Wearable and minimally-invasive biosensors (microneedle, potentiometric, electrochemical)
- Reusable and sterilisable medical textiles
- Physical and mechanical measurement and validation (tensile, adhesion, ingress, microscopy)
- Rapid prototyping and 3D printing for functional proof-of-concept
- Maritime and industrial measurement
Projects
A selection of funded projects the lab currently runs or has recently completed:
One4All
Abstract: A locally producible, automated-system-compatible aerobic blood culture flask for sepsis diagnosis, prototyped in Antwerp with the Institute of Tropical Medicine and piloted toward local batch production in Benin.
Status: Ongoing (2025– )
Funding: ITM Antwerp
SafeTrawl I & II
Abstract: Physical measurement supporting the safety of trawl-net fishing gear.
Status: Ongoing (2024–2027)
Funding: PRIVE
NeoVOC
Abstract: Sampling device for volatile compounds in ventilated neonates.
Status: Ongoing (2026–2027)
Funding: IOF
TEAMBIO
Abstract: Technological Enablement for Advancements in Manufacturing through Bio-intelligence.
Status: Ongoing (2025–2027)
Funding: BOF
reCURE I & II
reCURE I
Abstract: Smart, reusable and qualitative healthcare products.
Status: Completed (2024)
Funding: VLAIO
reCURE II
Abstract: The healthcare sector produces one of the largest amounts of industrial waste in Flanders. reCURE 2 focuses on a transition from single-use products to reusable alternatives within primary care. Together, we are working on safe, high-quality, and circular solutions for disposable packaging, instruments, and textiles. reCURE2 builds on the results of reCURE, which investigated reusable solutions in hospitals. reCURE2 focuses on primary care, such as residential care centers, medical practices, and home care. The limited scale, varying organizational forms, and specific use requirements make it difficult to directly apply the lessons learned from reCURE. The project accelerates the transition to sustainable care products by providing insight into the technological, economic, and organizational possibilities of reusable solutions. reCURE2 investigates which materials and processes are suitable for safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly application in primary care. In doing so, the project collects valuable data and practical experience that support the decision-making processes of healthcare institutions and lays a solid foundation for the widespread adoption of circular solutions. What does reCURE 2 want to achieve? reCURE2 supports healthcare institutions step by step in the use of reusable products. The project combines analysis, design, and implementation. First, bottlenecks and barriers are identified from the perspective of healthcare providers, patients, and the broader value chain. Next, concrete reusable alternatives, logistical solutions, and implementation guidelines are developed. Finally, the project tests and simulates these solutions in practice, measuring and analyzing results to support further refinement and widespread application. Through this integrated approach, reCURE2 offers circular solutions and lays a solid foundation for sustainable change within primary care. The project combines theoretical insights with practical experience, enabling reusable products to become effective, safe, and widely applicable.
REmedi
Abstract: Reusable, qualitative medical packaging.
Status: Ongoing (2024–2026)
Funding: VLAIO
Nature4Nature
Abstract: Filtering nature's diversity for nature-friendly implementations, with the REuse Lab.
Status: Ongoing (2023–2027)
Funding: EU-KADER
Website: nature4nature.net
INFLUXO
Abstract: Fluidic module for high-throughput microscopy of intact organoids.
Status: Completed (2024–2025)
Funding: IOF
Femtosecond pulsed laser micromachining
Abstract: Laser-based micromachining for medical device manufacture.
Status: Ongoing (2022–2026)
Funding: FWO
PRINT-4-POCT
Abstract: Millifluidic devices for point-of-care testing.
Status: Completed (2024)
Funding: BOF
Services
For academia:
– Physical and mechanical testing (tensile, adhesion, ingress, microscopy) as a shared facility
– Rapid prototyping and functional proof-of-concept builds
– Co-supervision of master's theses and PhD trajectories bridging design and measurement
For industry and healthcare partners:
– Medical device design consultancy — requirements definition, redesign, new product development
– Support moving a concept toward MDR/IVDR-regulated development (design & development, verification & validation)
– Joint master's thesis projects and applied proof-of-concept development
Related courses
– Product and Engineering (1Ba)
– Technology-Driven Design Fundamentals (1Ma)
– Technology-Driven Design — Module 1 (1Ma)
– Masterproef (2Ma)
Team
Principal investigator:
Prof. dr. Regan Watts
Active researchers:
Kaat Dhondt (reCURE II, REmedi)
Katerina Krsteska (Nature4Nature)
Alumni:
Andres Vanhooydonck, PhD
Jochen Vleugels, PhD
Marieke Van Camp, PhD
Associations & partners
Co-authoring research groups from publications of the last 5 years (2021–2026):
ASTARC — Antwerp Surgical Training, Anatomy and Research Centre (4) | Marketing (3) | A-PECS — Antwerp engineering, PhotoElectroChemistry & Sensing (2) |
Laboratory for Experimental Hematology (2) | Laboratory for Cell Biology and Histology (2) | Functional Morphology (1) |
MOVANT — Movement Antwerp (1) | IDLab — Internet Data Lab (1) | Laboratory for Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (1) |