“Want to learn about the next big thing in healthcare tech? Our article unpacks the groundbreaking innovation from UCSD engineers: a cost-effective clip and smartphone app for blood pressure monitoring. No calibration needed, just reliable results at your fingertips!
Quick Summary
- Engineers from the University of California San Diego (UCSD) have developed a low-cost, user-friendly clip and smartphone app that allows easy and affordable blood pressure monitoring. This innovation could potentially benefit millions of people worldwide, especially those in resource-limited settings.
- Unlike most cuffless systems, this new device does not require calibration with traditional cuff measurements. It offers reliable blood pressure readings, making it a convenient alternative to traditional methods.
- The technology is still being refined and tested, with future improvements expected to make it more user-friendly, accurate across different skin tones, and adaptable to various smartphone models. The team behind the innovation has co-founded a company, Billion Labs Inc., to commercialize the technology.
In this digital age, it seems there’s no limit to what technology can achieve.
The medical field is not an exception.
And now, engineers from the University of California San Diego (UCSD) are redefining blood pressure monitoring.
They’ve developed an innovative clip and smartphone app which, in early tests, is already showing promising results.
See also: Earbuds: A Promising Alternative To Blood Pressure Cuffs
A Glimpse Of The Innovation
Imagine checking your blood pressure without having to deal with the cumbersome cuffs, but with just a clip that costs less than a dollar to produce.
That’s precisely what these engineers have accomplished.
But how does it work?
Study first author Yinan (Tom) Xuan, a Ph.D. student at UCSD, explains:
“We’ve created an inexpensive solution to lower the barrier to blood pressure monitoring.”
How It Works: A Blend Of Simplicity And Technology
The clip is a simple 3D-printed attachment designed to fit over a smartphone’s camera and flash.
When a user presses their fingertip onto the clip, it lights up the fingertip using the smartphone’s flash.
This light projects onto the camera, creating a red circle, whose size and brightness provide crucial data for blood pressure measurement.
See also: Blood Pressure & Smartwatches: Risks Of Inaccurate Readings Revealed
Why This Innovation Matters
In the US alone, over 75 million adults suffer from hypertension, according to the American Heart Association.
Regular blood pressure monitoring is a critical part of managing such conditions.
However, the traditional methods are often expensive and inconvenient, especially for older adults and those in resource-limited settings.
This is where this innovative technology stands out.
As Edward Wang, a professor at UCSD and director of the Digital Health Lab, puts it:
“Because of their low cost, these clips could be handed out to anyone who needs them but cannot go to a clinic regularly.”
This means that anyone, regardless of their location or income, can monitor their blood pressure with ease and affordability.
Breaking From Traditional Limitations
One of the key advantages of this clip is that it does not need to be calibrated to a cuff.
Most cuffless systems being developed for smartphones and smartwatches require calibration with traditional cuff measurements.
But this one stands out.
“Our device is a calibration-free system,” explains Wang, “meaning you can just use our device without touching another blood pressure monitor to get a trustworthy blood pressure reading.”
Future Possibilities
So far, the results produced by this clip have been comparable to those from traditional blood pressure cuffs.
The creators have co-founded Billion Labs Inc., aimed at refining and commercializing the technology.
They’re planning to make it even more user-friendly and test its accuracy across different skin tones.
See also: Sky Labs’ CART-I Plus Receives Approval For Cuffless Blood Pressure Monitoring Feature
Conclusion
We are indeed in an exciting era where technology continues to break barriers, especially in the medical field.
This revolutionary device by UCSD engineers has the potential to make blood pressure monitoring easy, accessible, and affordable.
As it continues to be refined and tested, we can look forward to seeing how this innovation will transform lives and contribute to better health outcomes worldwide.
References
“Ultra-low-cost Mechanical Smartphone Attachment for No-Calibration Blood Pressure Measurement” by Yinan Xuan, Colin Barry, Jessica De Souza, Jessica H. Wen, Nick Antipa, Alison A. Moore and Edward J. Wang, 29 May 2023, Scientific Reports.
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34431-1
Robin Backlund is a dedicated journalist and a medical student who has written several articles and essays exposing the falseness and hollowness of online resources in the medical science niche.