7 November 2025
For many people living with cancer, fatigue is an additional, often invisible burden in everyday life. Researchers at the Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine - Brain and Behaviour (INM-7) at Forschungszentrum Jülich are working together with Fimo Health GmbH, Fraunhofer IMS and the West German Cancer Centre at Essen University Hospital to make this elusive form of exhaustion measurable - and ultimately, more treatable. In the FAITH project (Fatigue Therapy - AI-supported Diagnosis and Therapy of Tumour-associated Fatigue Syndrome), the consortium is developing a digital solution that uses wearable sensors, a smartphone app and artificial intelligence to provide individually tailored therapy recommendations. The project is supported by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia as part of the ZukunftBIO.NRW funding initiative.
Making fatigue visible
Fatigue is one of the most common and debilitating symptoms of cancer. It manifests as persistent exhaustion that is barely relieved by sleep or rest and can seriously disrupt daily life. The severity of fatigue varies greatly from person to person and depends on individual condition and stage of illness - which makes it difficult to assess objectively.
This is where FAITH comes in - with digital technologies that use biomarkers to measure physical and behavioural changes.
Digital biomarkers and smart everyday support
Biomarkers are measurable biological signals - such as heart rate, sleep patterns, respiration or physical activity - that provide insight into a person's health status. In the FAITH project, such parameters are continuously recorded using wearables - portable sensors such as smartwatches - together with the JTrack app developed at Forschungszentrum Jülich, and evaluated as digital biomarkers.
The data collected via the wearables are analysed using artificial intelligence. The app then calculates a fatigue score, providing an assessment of the current state of fatigue. Combined with the patient's own perception, it offers guidance for the day ahead - for example, when taking breaks might be advisable or what level of activity seems realistic.
The system is designed to help patients better assess their physical limits and manage their energy more effectively in everyday life - an important step towards personalised symptom control. The app is not intended to replace medical advice or clinical decision-making.
Expertise from Jülich
INM-7 played a leading role in the technical implementation of FAITH. The team developed the digital biomarkers and designed the study. The researchers at Jülich also tested data collection via the JTrack app and wearables, and monitored ongoing study operations. From the collected data, they derived the key features on which the AI model developed by Fraunhofer IMS is based.
The application is currently being tested in an initial prototype. If the ongoing trials prove successful and the necessary approvals are obtained, extended testing could begin in 2026.
From research to practice
The project has been funded from November 2023 to the end of October 2025. Once the project has been completed, the results will be evaluated, follow-up studies planned, and - in coordination with data protection and medical device regulations - the next steps towards a gradual market launch will be prepared.
In the long term, the research findings are expected to support the integration of digital, AI-assisted health solutions into clinical care - benefiting both patients and healthcare professionals.
In recognition of its innovative approach, FAITH received the Expert's Choice Award at the Garmin Health Summit 2025 in New York. The Garmin Health Awards honour international projects that use wearable technologies for health and prevention purposes.
