ARPA-H launches program to supercharge biosensor device development with next-generation platform 

New Delphi program will advance more affordable wearable and ingestible biosensors that securely report deep biological data to optimize care 

The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), today announced the launch of its Delphi program, a bold initiative to advance low-cost biosensors that can monitor hormones, inflammatory markers, and other important biochemical signals.  

Current biosensors are typically built with a "one-off" design, focusing on only one component of health monitoring, like tracking heartrate or blood glucose. This narrow scope leaves out rich data streams that can prevent life-threatening health crises and help patients better manage chronic conditions, safely recover from illness outside of a hospital, and improve overall wellness.  

If we want to adequately understand what our bodies are telling us, we need to be able to "listen." 

By reimagining biosensor design with modular “chiplet” technology, Delphi will pave the way for more affordable, precise, and reliable biosensor devices that empower people and their care teams to make smarter decisions about health and wellness. 

“Anyone with a heart monitor in their watch knows how rewarding it can be to access their body’s signals in real time—but today’s limited, bulky, and expensive biosensors only scratch the surface of what’s possible. With Delphi, ARPA-H is aiming for something fundamentally different: tiny ‘chiplets’ that can be quickly assembled into devices to monitor the deep biological signals that matter most,” said ARPA-H Director Alicia Jackson, Ph.D. “With this innovative approach, ARPA-H aims to transform the future of these devices and unlock a new level of precise, personalized care for millions of Americans.” 

These mix-and-match chiplets will greatly reduce barriers to developing new devices that can be worn easily or even swallowed for safe, secure, and continuous monitoring of a broad range of biomarkers. The resulting real-time health insights will help people and their clinicians detect the earliest signs of disease. 

Named for the Greek city in which an ancient oracle once wrote the maxim “know thyself,” the program aims to provide transformative biological insights. 

“We built this program to empower people to know themselves in a way never before possible,” said Delphi Program Manager Paul E. Sheehan, Ph.D. “By creating secure devices that provide continuous information about one’s body, we can fundamentally change the way people and their care teams make informed decisions about health and wellness." 

The Delphi program spans 4.5 years, with strict performance metrics and a focus on creating initial prototypes within 2 years. ARPA-H will solicit proposals under its Innovative Solutions Opening (ISO) in three phases: prototype research and development, component integration into working systems and regulatory application, and clinical trials or human factors testing. In a novel program design, periodic “remixes” will challenge performers to rework their prototypes to sense new biomarkers. ARPA-H encourages collaboration among experts across disciplines to meet the program’s ambitious goals. 

For more information, including solicitation details and Proposers’ Day registration, visit the Delphi program page.