Wearable Patch Keeps Real-Time Watch On Blood Pressure
Wearable Patch Keeps Real-Time Watch On Blood Pressure
A team of South Korean researchers has developed a convenient alternative to the conventional arm cuff system for measuring blood pressure. For decades, the inflatable band has been used to monitor hypertension, but the team from Seoul National University has created a wearable sensor that can provide continuous monitoring throughout the day
STORY: Researcher Seung Woo Noh is demonstrating a wearable blood pressure sensor he helped develop at the Seoul National University Hospital and College of Medicine (SNUH & SNUCM).
The sensor is fabricated as a layered structure comprising an electromechanical film with printed electrodes and a flexible electronic circuit, powered by a tiny onboard battery. When attached to the skin over the heart, it detects the organ's electrical activity and the force of its repetitive motion, which in combination, provide overall measurements of blood pressure. The data is sent in real time to a computer program where it can be recorded and monitored by medical specialists as the wearer goes about their daily routine.
Hee Chan Kim, a professor at SNUH & SNUCM, says the device is a significant improvement over conventional blood pressure monitoring technologies.
"When it comes to the conventional measurement of blood pressure, you need to put tourniquet called cuff around forearm, and it takes a long time and very uncomfortable. But we've developed this sensor in the shape of simple patch. It's a brand new concept of blood pressure sensor, which is featured in monitoring the change of blood pressure continuously when it is applied to the skin," said Kim.
High blood pressure - also known as hypertension - is a chronic medical condition characterised by elevated blood pressure levels in the arteries. Over time that elevated pressure can lead to heart disease and stroke. The World Health Organization estimates that one billion people worldwide suffer from high blood pressure.
Hee Chan Kim says his team's device will enable many people to keep an eye on their condition throughout the day during which time, blood pressure can vary significantly. He says conventional systems can only offer a snapshot and cannot be used to reliably to diagnose and monitor the disease. He says with the patch, users will have no need to visit a hospital for check-ups related to blood pressure concerns.
"Hypertension is one of the most serious chronic diseases in modern society. For better treatment of hypertension, consistent measure and management are essential. Patients can easily use the sensor comfortably by wearing it, so it consistently measures patient's blood pressure change for 24 hours," said Kim.
Kim says the patch sensor could be a key element in a wider, ubiquitous healthcare service system, where inexpensive, wearable technologies are envisaged to replace many large-scale, hospital and clinic-based systems for individual patient healthcare.
The research was funded by South Korea's ministry of Education, Science and Technology.