Digital health in Switzerland: a field we're passionate about
The Health Valley, our playground
Western Switzerland isn't just the birthplace of watchmaking and chocolate. It's also one of the world's most dynamic hubs for digital health. Between CHUV, HUG, EPFL and dozens of MedTech startups, the region concentrates a unique density of talent and innovation.
At Appik Studio, digital health isn't just another sector. It's a field we've been passionate about since day one. Over 10 years, we've collaborated with university hospitals, academic spin-offs and MedTech startups on projects that have a concrete impact on patients' lives.
Our digital health projects
Pneumoscope — The stethoscope reinvented
In partnership with Onescope, a spin-off from Geneva University Hospitals (HUG), we developed the mobile application for the Pneumoscope: a 3-in-1 connected stethoscope combining auscultation, pulse oximetry and thermometry.
The app connects to the device via Bluetooth and runs AI algorithms directly on the smartphone. The DeepBreath model, trained on over 250,000 respiratory cycles from 10 countries, analyzes sounds in real-time to detect conditions such as asthma, pneumonia and bronchitis.
Beyond the mobile app, we supported Onescope through ISO 62304-compliant development (medical device software lifecycle) towards CE marking. We also deployed an HL7 middleware enabling integration with the EHR (Electronic Health Record) system at HUG, ensuring automatic transfer of auscultation data into the patient's medical record.
The technical challenge: real-time audio processing, on-device AI inference, ISO 62304 / CE marking compliance, HL7 integration with the hospital EHR.
Smart Cervix — Cervical cancer detection
A project developed in collaboration with EPFL's LTS5 laboratory and HUG. The application helps doctors screen for cervical cancer using AI-powered image classification.
In a first phase, the app enabled secure collection of clinical data. In a second phase, it serves as a decision-support tool by classifying zones according to risk factors, guiding medical diagnosis.
The technical challenge: secure collection of sensitive medical data, real-time image classification, interface adapted to clinical workflows.
BmAI (CHUV — Neonatology) — Fighting malnutrition with AI
This application, developed in collaboration with the CHUV Neonatology Department, uses artificial intelligence to estimate the weight and height of children in developing countries. A simple photo taken with a smartphone provides crucial anthropometric data, helping humanitarian workers detect and combat malnutrition.
The technical challenge: morphological estimation from a 2D photo, offline operation in areas without connectivity, sufficient accuracy for medical use.
Atreon — Digital therapies for chronic pain
Atreon is a Swiss biotech developing Swissmedic and EMA-approved digital therapies combined with biomarkers for musculoskeletal disorders and chronic pain.
We contributed to the development of their patient platform: a mobile application for treatment tracking, real-world evidence collection, and empowering patients to manage their pain autonomously. The architecture is built on the FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) standard, ensuring interoperability with existing healthcare systems and enabling secure clinical data exchange between the platform and healthcare professionals.
The technical challenge: Swissmedic/EMA regulatory compliance for a software medical device, FHIR architecture for interoperability, patient data protection, accessibility-focused design.
TuneInsight — Computing on encrypted data
TuneInsight invented Multiparty Homomorphic Encryption: a technology that enables computations on encrypted data without ever exposing it. In practice, multiple hospitals can collaborate on an oncology survival analysis without sharing their patients' data.
We worked on the interfaces for their data collaboration platform, deployed at CHUV, Zurich University Hospital and Inselspital in Bern.
The technical challenge: interfaces for complex cryptographic concepts, integration with hospital systems, ISO 27001 compliance.
Cross-cutting challenges in digital health
All these projects share common requirements that demand specific expertise:
- Regulatory compliance: DPA, GDPR, and depending on the case Swissmedic or CE marking for medical devices
- Data security: end-to-end encryption, Swiss hosting, complete audit trail
- Clinical reliability: zero tolerance for bugs in a medical context
- Patient-centered design: accessible, clear interfaces usable under stress
Over 10 years of collaboration with hospitals and MedTech startups, we've integrated these requirements into our development DNA.
Why we're passionate about health
Developing an e-commerce app is satisfying. Developing an app that helps detect cancer or save a child from malnutrition is something else entirely. This is what motivates us to give our best on every health project.
Have a digital health project? Let's talk. We know the sector's constraints and we know how to turn them into products that make a difference.
Explore our expertise in mobile development, artificial intelligence and research & academic.
