Researchers create app that measures blood pressure from fingertip
People may no longer need to visit a physician’s office to get accurate blood pressure readings thanks to a new mobile application created by researchers at Michigan State University.
According to a study published in Scientific Reports, MSU researchers developed an iPhone X app to measure blood pressure using the oscillometric finger pressing method.
The app requires users to press their fingertip on “both the front camera and screen to increase the external pressure of the underlying artery, while the application measures the resulting variable-amplitude blood volume oscillations via the camera and applied pressure via the strain gauge array under the screen.” It also guides users’ fingertip placement and actuation in order to accurately calculate their blood pressure.
Researchers tested the application on 20 different people for the study.
“The application yielded BP (blood pressure) in about half the measurements for the new users and outputted BP in 18 of the users. However, the application did not yield BP in the other two users due to poorly estimated finger pressing contact area,” the study said. “The application showed errors that were only about 2 mm Hg higher on average than the finger cuff device.”
While the research team said the app needs to be improved to satisfy accuracy requirements, they also said the study shows this method could be a feasible way to measure blood pressure.
“In summary, this proof-of-concept study surprisingly indicates that cuff-less and calibration-free (blood pressure) monitoring may be feasible with many existing and forthcoming smartphones by leveraging sensors built-in for other purposes,” the study concluded. “Such ubiquitous (blood pressure) monitoring may improve hypertension awareness and control rates and thereby help reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease and mortality.”
Danielle covers Clinical Innovation & Technology as a senior news writer for TriMed Media. Previously, she worked as a news reporter in northeast Missouri and earned a journalism degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She's also a huge fan of the Chicago Cubs, Bears and Bulls.