Wrist Device Monitors Heart Rate and Blood Pressure

Outcome/Accomplishment

Research and development of a wearable wrist device that keeps track of the user’s vital cardiac signs has yielded a comfortable and effective design for commercial use. The measurements are a step up from traditional blood pressure readings and the device’s wearability enables ongoing monitoring, potentially saving lives. This research was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Precise Advanced Technologies and Health Systems for Underserved Populations (NSF PATHS-UP) Engineering Research Center (ERC), headquartered at TAMU, with partners from the University of California at Los Angeles, Rice University, and Florida International University.

Impact/Benefits

NSF PATHS-UP research aims to change the paradigm for the health of underserved populations by developing revolutionary and cost-effective technologies and systems at the point of care. The wrist device is specifically for use with chronic disease, which is a big challenge for underserved communities, leading to poor quality of life, high healthcare expenditures, and disability — even for younger people. This new system has proven the capability of multi-modal sensors in wearable form for daily, non-invasive ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. 

Explanation/Background

Sensors for both Photoplethysmography (PPG) and bioimpedance (Bio-Z) signals are used together simultaneously in this multimodal system. PPG signals estimate blood pressure, while Bio-Z signals can detect blood pulsations in the wrist arteries and provide more accurate blood pressure readings. The device design is wireless with untethered capabilities, enabling data sampling at 10 KHz and storage on the device. Bluetooth communication facilitates data control and streaming.

The team went a step further and showed how a leg press machine could be used to vary an individual’s blood pressure, providing a valuable tool for device calibration. 

Figure 1. Design of multi-modal wearable system. (a) Top view of the device’s industrial design on the wrist; (b) Bottom view of the device — includes 2 sets of PPG sensors, 1 set of current injection pair, and 2 sets of the voltage measuring pair; (c) Two PPG signals and two bioimpedance signals collected from a subject sitting stationary; (d) Block diagram of the multi-modal wearable system; (e) Target placement of the device on top of the radial artery; (f) Leg press testbed to vary blood pressure.
Figure 2. Using a Leg press machine to vary an individual's blood pressure enables better calibration of the device.
Credit:
NSF PATHS-UP

Location

College Station, Texas

e-mail

teesweb@tamu.edu

website

https://pathsup.org/

Start Year

Biotechnology and Healthcare

Biotechnology and Health Care Icon
Biotechnology and Health Care Icon

Biotechnology and Healthcare

Lead Institution

Texas A&M University

Core Partners

University of California at Los Angeles, Rice University , Florida International University

Fact Sheet

PATHS-UP Fact Sheet.pdf
Figure 1. Design of multi-modal wearable system. (a) Top view of the device’s industrial design on the wrist; (b) Bottom view of the device — includes 2 sets of PPG sensors, 1 set of current injection pair, and 2 sets of the voltage measuring pair; (c) Two PPG signals and two bioimpedance signals collected from a subject sitting stationary; (d) Block diagram of the multi-modal wearable system; (e) Target placement of the device on top of the radial artery; (f) Leg press testbed to vary blood pressure.
Figure 2. Using a Leg press machine to vary an individual's blood pressure enables better calibration of the device.
Credit:
NSF PATHS-UP

Outcome/Accomplishment

Research and development of a wearable wrist device that keeps track of the user’s vital cardiac signs has yielded a comfortable and effective design for commercial use. The measurements are a step up from traditional blood pressure readings and the device’s wearability enables ongoing monitoring, potentially saving lives. This research was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Precise Advanced Technologies and Health Systems for Underserved Populations (NSF PATHS-UP) Engineering Research Center (ERC), headquartered at TAMU, with partners from the University of California at Los Angeles, Rice University, and Florida International University.

Location

College Station, Texas

e-mail

teesweb@tamu.edu

website

https://pathsup.org/

Start Year

Biotechnology and Healthcare

Biotechnology and Health Care Icon
Biotechnology and Health Care Icon

Biotechnology and Healthcare

Lead Institution

Texas A&M University

Core Partners

University of California at Los Angeles, Rice University , Florida International University

Fact Sheet

PATHS-UP Fact Sheet.pdf

Impact/benefits

NSF PATHS-UP research aims to change the paradigm for the health of underserved populations by developing revolutionary and cost-effective technologies and systems at the point of care. The wrist device is specifically for use with chronic disease, which is a big challenge for underserved communities, leading to poor quality of life, high healthcare expenditures, and disability — even for younger people. This new system has proven the capability of multi-modal sensors in wearable form for daily, non-invasive ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. 

Explanation/Background

Sensors for both Photoplethysmography (PPG) and bioimpedance (Bio-Z) signals are used together simultaneously in this multimodal system. PPG signals estimate blood pressure, while Bio-Z signals can detect blood pulsations in the wrist arteries and provide more accurate blood pressure readings. The device design is wireless with untethered capabilities, enabling data sampling at 10 KHz and storage on the device. Bluetooth communication facilitates data control and streaming.

The team went a step further and showed how a leg press machine could be used to vary an individual’s blood pressure, providing a valuable tool for device calibration.