Patch-tonometer

Scientists are developing a smart patch for measuring pressure

Georgy Golovanov, Hi-tech+

Bulky armbands and tonometers for measuring pressure are the last century. American scientists are developing something new – a thin patch with electrodes the size of a postage stamp, which is attached to the neck or other parts of the body and measures blood pressure in the aorta.

Drawing from the press release of UC San Diego Wearable Ultrasound Patch Monitors Blood Pressure Deep Inside Body – VM.

Engineers at the University of California at San Diego are working on creating a device capable of constantly measuring central aortic pressure - the pressure of blood circulating through the aorta. These data will give doctors more useful information about the condition of the heart and other vital organs: liver, lungs, brain

The rectangle of silicone emits ultrasonic waves that penetrate through the tissues and are reflected from the tissues and blood of the patient. The reflected signals are picked up by the sensor, which sends them to the laptop processing the data. While the device can't work offline, but the developers intend to fix it in the future.

Such a device will be able to measure pressure constantly and at home. It is most effective to place it on the neck, but it is also possible on other parts of the body. Compared with conventional tonometers, the difference in the accuracy of the readings turned out to be insignificant. In addition, the patch does not carry the risk of infection, because it is attached to the skin, and not implanted, unlike the "gold standard" – a catheter with a sensor.

If you place the sensor next to the jugular vein, it will also be able to measure the volume of blood that the heart pumps. This kind of information will help, for example, to determine the level of dehydration.

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