A New Wearable Device for Blood Pressure Estimation Using Photoplethysmogram

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cardiovascular Technology
• Wearable Health Devices

Background:

• Continuous blood pressure monitoring is crucial for cardiovascular health management.
• Existing methods often lack real-time, non-invasive capabilities for widespread use.
• Wearable technology offers a promising avenue for accessible health monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate CareUp®, a novel smartwatch for real-time blood pressure estimation.
• To assess the accuracy and reliability of the CareUp® smartwatch against established measurement devices.
• To evaluate the potential of CareUp® as a user-friendly, wearable device for continuous blood pressure monitoring.

Main Methods:

• The CareUp® smartwatch utilizes two pulse oximeters to capture photoplethysmograms (PPG).
• Signal processing involves filtering and cross-correlation to determine Pulse Transit Time (PTT).
• A linear model integrates Heart Rate (HR) and PTT to estimate Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure (BP).

Main Results:

• Validation on 44 subjects at Institut Coeur Paris Centre Turin demonstrated comparable accuracy to existing oscillometry-based devices (Thuasne®, Magnien®).
• The CareUp® smartwatch measurements closely aligned with the American Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation standards for non-automated sphygmomanometers.
• The device successfully provided real-time BP estimations.

Conclusions:

• The CareUp® smartwatch offers a viable, non-invasive method for real-time blood pressure monitoring.
• Its performance validates its potential as an accurate and convenient wearable health device.
• The integration of BP estimation algorithms into smartwatches represents a significant advancement in personal health technology.