Vocxi Health has partnered with Forj Medical to transform its MyBreathPrint device from a desktop prototype into a compact, handheld diagnostic platform designed for real-world use. The collaboration significantly advanced the device’s performance and manufacturability, according to executives.

MyBreathPrint uses graphene-based nano sensors and machine learning based algorithms to detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by the body in a person’s breath that correspond with specific diseases, including lung cancer, the world’s leading cause of cancer death. The device’s ultra-sensitive sensors can detect compounds at parts-per-billion concentration, a thousand times more sensitive than conventional medical gas sensors. Combined with AI/ML based algorithm, the system delivers accurate, near-instant results in seconds, potentially enabling widespread screening in clinics—and ultimately, in homes.

Vocxi partnered with Forj Medical to turn its breakthrough science into a manufacturable, market-ready device. Forj Medical engineers employed design-for-manufacturability (DFM) principles and advanced miniaturization techniques to reduce the device’s size from that of a toaster to a handheld unit roughly the size of a deck of cards, without compromising precision or sensitivity.

“Early detection is the key to saving lives, and the ability to identify cancer and other diseases from a simple breath test to increase compliance has been a long-standing goal in medicine,” Vocxi CEO Ping Yeh stated. “Forj Medical’s engineering ingenuity allowed us to take our vision from a concept on the bench to a manufacturable device ready for clinical deployment. Together, we’ve created something that could make early cancer detection accessible to millions.”

Forj Medical’s team solved multiple technical challenges by working with Vocxi and its digital health partner S3 Connected Health. One of the most significant was maintaining clear electrical signals in concert with ultra-sensitive graphene sensors. The team identified and eliminated the noise sources through hardware design, custom algorithms, and more than 1,500 custom diagnostic tests conducted in rapid succession. The engineers also solved the challenge of humidity—a breakthrough in breath-detection devices.

Forj Medical then built a foundation for scalable manufacturing. The team condensed hundreds of electronic components onto a single printed circuit board, developed automated testing and data analysis systems, and created packaging and labeling protocols for direct shipment to healthcare providers.

“This collaboration exemplifies the early and close integration between the innovation and useability engineers in complex first-of-their-kind devices,” said Darren Gilmer, senior engineering manager, product development, at Forj Medical. “Vocxi’s sensor technology was exceptionally advanced, and our job was to make it manufacturable, reliable, and ready to scale. We achieved that by working side by side with Vocxi’s scientists to iterate, test, and refine every aspect of the original design.”

The proximity of core team members in Minnesota’s Medical Alley facilitated rapid iteration and hands-on collaboration—literally delivering samples back and forth during testing and iteration—and gaining input from teams across the globe over a 24/7 timeline.

Gilmer said a key process step was precise engineering that allowed software to “talk” to the hardware, which is particularly complex in devices that gather and decipher biometric data.

Throughout the 18-month project, the partnership between Vocxi, Forj Medical, and S3 Connected Health resulted in three joint patents, a working prototype, and a first production run of 500 units, which performed well in clinical testing.

The MyBreathPrint system’s compact form, cloud connectivity, and affordability make it a promising solution for large-scale cancer screening and early detection of multiple diseases, with the potential to save countless lives and dramatically reduce healthcare costs, according to Vocxi and Forj Medical bigwigs.

Vocxi Health is a medical technology company pioneering breath-based diagnostics to enable early, noninvasive detection of cancer and other serious diseases. Using proprietary nano sensor arrays and advanced machine learning algorithms, Vocxi’s MyBreathPrint device platform translates chemical patterns in human breath into actionable clinical data.

Forj Medical is a vertically integrated contract design and manufacturing organization (CDMO) serving the medical technology industry. Formed through the merger of Intricon and Minnetronix Medical, Forj Medical offers end-to-end capabilities—from concept through commercial scale—in system design, microelectronics, precision molding, and advanced manufacturing. Headquartered in St. Paul, Minn., with operations in Singapore, Indonesia, and Costa Rica, Forj Medical partners with device OEMs to accelerate innovation across key segments, including diabetes care, advanced optics, surgical energy, vascular disease, drug delivery, and surgical navigation.