ARPA-H’s Delphi awards fund wearable-biosensor development, rather than report results from finished devices. The US Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health announced four teams and a commitment of up to $117.4 million over 4.5 years on 1 October 2026, with funding dependent on research milestones. ARPA-H announcement
The projects cover heart failure, inflammation and the transition to menopause.
The four projects
ARPA-H’s individual award records describe these intended applications. Each lists a start date of 24 September 2026, preceding the public announcement.
| Team | Planned measurement | Proposed approach |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Biomarkers associated with heart failure | A wearable patch powered by body heat, with AI processing on the chip. |
| New York University | Inflammation | A patch using microscopic probes beneath the skin and DNA-based sensors. |
| University of Washington | Biomarkers associated with perimenopause | A sweat-sensing patch using engineered proteins that can be refreshed for repeated use. |
| Novelna | Inflammation after a heart attack | A patch designed to transmit data through the body to conserve power. |
What makes the platform modular
Delphi’s design centres on chiplets: small electronic components that perform specific jobs and can be combined into different devices. The programme overview describes a reusable platform for sensing biological signals, including hormones, immune markers and medication levels.
Power, processing, communication and sensing would be handled by interconnected components. ARPA-H’s aim is to make those parts reusable across devices, rather than develop an entirely separate system for each measurement. Lower cost and more reliable monitoring are programme goals, not outcomes demonstrated by the awards.
What still has to be tested
The programme milestones progress from interoperable components to prototype testing and then studies involving people. Clinical trials and human-factors studies are different requirements; neither is reported as completed here.
ARPA-H’s Delphi announcement gives no commercial launch date, patient price or clinical performance results. Its funding ceiling describes a research commitment, not evidence that these sensors already improve care.