The European population is ageing, resulting in more people suffering from chronic health issues, an increasing need for long-term care, and associated rising costs. Care providers and hospitals are already under pressure to ensure high standards of care whilst managing demanding workloads and stringent reporting requirements. Regular monitoring and repositioning of patients with prolonged immobility to prevent pressure ulcers (sores) forming is an ongoing necessity, which is time-consuming for staff and disruptive to patients. DecubiMat, developed and tested by German company BLACKPIN with support from ESA’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS), provides a real-time improvement with an automated pressure monitoring and documentation system underpinned by technology originally developed for use in space. 

Prevention is critical in the management of pressure ulcers which cause damage to skin and underlying tissue, which, if left untreated, can worsen and cause open wounds. Recovery is painful, slow and expensive, particularly in older patients where fragile skin can impede healing. The DecubiMat, and its associated reporting service, reduces the time needed for documentation by up to 50%, improving efficiency and compliance but importantly, freeing staff to focus on patient care. The service reduces the risk of pressure ulcers by delivering continuous, non-invasive pressure monitoring to enable early intervention and automated reminders when repositioning is needed.  AI driven recommendations for optimal positioning support care staff and eases the burden of decision-making. Relatives have secure access to information, helping minimise anxiety about care quality and in turn, reducing the strain and workload of staff.  All the reports generated are GDPR compliant for pressure sore management.  

ESA BASS supported BLACKPIN to test and validate the system in a feasibility study in real-world care environments, providing opportunities to optimise the usability of the technology and demonstrate improvements and impacts for staff and patients. Blackpin partnered with Kinotex Sensor, MacDreamy, Bytec, the University of Leipzig, care centres and more, and the service was trialled with PH Schwäbisch Gmünd, Melanchthonhaus, ICCAS and University Clinic Leipzig, to ensure the product was suitable for the care environment and patient use. The sensor mat, data acquisition, processing and dashboard functions were all successfully tested, including mechanical loading, flexibility, and liquid exposure. Feedback from nursing staff, and the 8 – 12 patients involved, demonstrated impressive time savings of up to two hours per shift and confirmed strong user satisfaction with the system. 

Sandra Jörg, CEO & Founder, BLACKPIN GmbH, spoke of the importance of ESA to the project: "ESA Business Applications and Space Solutions gave us much more than funding. Our technical officer got into our technology, the clinical context and the regulatory requirements of medical devices remarkably quickly and in great depth, and the guidance was always precise and constructive. With the support of ESA Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS), we were able to validate the feasibility of DecubiMat in a clear and structured way and take an important step towards protecting patients from pressure ulcers in everyday care. We would be delighted to continue our successful collaboration with ESA Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) as we take the next steps with our project." 

 DecubiMat uses space-grade, hollow-space optical sensor technology which was originally developed by Kinotex Sensor GmbH on behalf of NASA for the movement of payloads, astronauts and protection of robots on the International Space Station (ISS). This upstream technology is exceptionally durable and the flexible, mat-like design is easily integrated into beds without the need for specialised mattresses. It is suitable for intensive clinical environments as the sensors are non-conductive and immune to electromagnetic interferences. The results are processed by a highly secure, closed AI analysis tool and displayed on an interactive dashboard for each patient, providing access to staff and relatives. 

Arnaud Runge, Technical Officer for ESA on the project said: “Space technology is at the very heart of this project, which has achieved high-quality results already as they have considered the market potential, the clinical relevance, the value of space and opportunities for future development.” 

Market analysis undertaken during the project has identified over 32,000 relevant care institutions in Germany alone, and the team intend to apply for a follow-up pilot project to integrate feedback from testing, validate the solution at larger-scale care facilities and hospitals, and continue regulatory certification in readiness for commercial rollout. In October 2026, The Mat won the Regional Cup 'Start-up WOW Challenge 2026' of the Start-up BW Elevator Pitch, qualifying for the state final in Baden-Württemberg, with Minister of Economic Affairs Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut congratulating the team. There are also plans to develop the product for use in other spheres, and work is already underway on an application that can be used by rescuers working with people trapped in tunnels. 

European institutions, Member States, industry, cities, investors and innovators converged on the Belgian capital for Brussels Climate Week 2026 12-15 October, to shape the future of Europe’s climate-industrial transition. ESA’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team were there to share the many ways space can be part of the solution for the impacts of climate change. 

The four-day event was built around five core themes: Tech & Innovation, Energy, Industry, Urban and Nature. It was an opportunity for the ESA BASS team to highlight the potential for space technology and data to mitigate across all these areas the impacts of climate change and to address environmental challenges.  

BASS Climate Resilience Lead Liz Barrow took to the stage on Nature day, to share examples of how space-enabled solutions are already having a positive impact, and importantly to announce the ESA BASS Environmental Crimes funding call, which is opening for applications next week. 

Ms Barrow said: “Climate change is impacting all sectors, from energy to agriculture, from fashion to sports, from cities to the oceans – for all these sectors, space can have a real, tangible role as part of the solution. 

“Coastal erosion, forestry and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activities are some of the areas where our BASS projects are already making a big difference, while also supporting innovative European businesses, and helping them grow. 

“Environmental Crimes are an important focal point for us in the coming year, with our new funding call opening next week. We will be inviting applications covering a broad scope, ranging from poaching and illegal mining to corporate greenwashing fraud – I look forward to seeing what comes through and the meaningful impact that we will be able to achieve together with these projects.” 

There are many ways space data can be used both to both deter and intercept illegal activities but also to support good practise: 

• Detect and monitor: for example using AI on satellite imagery to spot early access roads for illegal mining or canopy gaps from unauthorised logging. 
• Track and trace: for example deploying satellite-connected tracking devices and geofencing to trace high-value commodities, regulated goods, or waste containers across international borders. 
• Verify: For example using authenticated satellite location tags to independently prove that an agricultural cargo was grown on legally compliant land, protecting a retailer from greenwashing penalties. 

To find out more about The Environmental Crimes funding call opening on 19 October, join us on 21 October for a webinar and Q&A.