Heart Health
Tiny wearable sensor provides real-time ultrasound of the heart
Research we're watching
- Reviewed by Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
A tiny experimental wearable sensor can capture detailed images of the heart, even when a person is exercising, according to a report in the Jan. 25, 2023, issue of Nature.
About the size of a postage stamp, the soft, flexible patch is worn on the chest for up to 24 hours. It uses ultrasound and artificial intelligence to record the heart's structure and function.
The current iteration of the patch uses cables connected to a computer, which automatically downloads information about the heart in real time. But the engineers and scientists who created the sensor also have developed a wireless circuit for the patch, which they hope to make available commercially in the next few years.
Their goal is to make safe, noninvasive, and high-quality cardiac imaging more widely accessible to a larger population. Currently, heart ultrasounds (known as echocardiograms) require bulky devices and highly trained technicians.
Image: © Eugene Mymrin/Getty Images
About the Author
Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
About the Reviewer
Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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