STTR Phase I: Smartphone-based blood pressure monitoring via the oscillometric finger pressing method

这项小企业技术转移（STTR）第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是，通过提供低成本、便携式血压监测仪，提高全球高血压意识和控制率。高血压（BP）是影响全球多达10亿人的主要心血管危险因素。高血压是可以治疗的，但人们对高血压的认识和控制率很低。无处不在的血压监测技术可以改善高血压管理，但现有的设备需要充气袖带，因此无法随时随地测量血压。便携式无袖带血压计的市场价值估计高达数百亿美元。该项目的成功完成将为该公司在这个庞大的市场中提供强有力的地位。最终，该项目的成功可以转化为对高血压的更大认识和控制，帮助减少世界各地心血管疾病的发病率和负担。这项小型企业技术转移（STTR）第一阶段项目旨在开发一种通过智能手机上的一个按钮来测量血压的技术，这种技术无需袖口，也无需校准。现有的自动袖口监测仪体积庞大，无法随时随地测量BP。“振荡手指按压法”是一种新兴的方法，它使用与大多数自动袖带设备相同的测量原理，但不是给袖带充气，而是用户按压他或她的手指（和下面的动脉），以对抗光学和压力传感器的组合来确定血压。该计划的目标是缩小当前的原型设计并验证其准确性。提出的研发计划包括将电路元件小型化，以便将其安装在一块电路板上，并优化传感技术和算法，以便在广泛的正常血压和高血压患者中工作。这项工作之后将对监测器进行临床试验。最终的设备预计将足够小，足够薄，可以安装在智能手机的背面，并展示临床级的血压测量精度。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is to drive hypertension awareness and control rates around the world, through the availability of low-cost, portable blood pressure monitoring. High blood pressure (BP) is a major cardiovascular risk factor that affects up to 1 billion people worldwide. It is treatable, yet hypertension awareness and control rates are low. Ubiquitous BP monitoring technology could improve hypertension management, but existing devices require an inflatable cuff and therefore do not afford anytime, anywhere measurement of BP. The market for a portable, cuff-less blood pressure monitor is estimated in the tens of billions of dollars. Successful completion of this project via demonstration of measurement accuracy across a broad range of blood pressures will provide the company with a strong position in this large market. Ultimately, the success of this project could translate to much greater awareness and control of hypertension, helping reduce the incidence and burden of cardiovascular disease around the world.This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project aims to develop a technology for cuff-less and calibration-free measurement of blood pressure via a button on a smartphone. Existing automated cuff-based monitors are bulky and do not enable anytime, anywhere measurement of BP. The 'oscillometric finger pressing method'is an emerging approach that uses the same measurement principle that is employed by most automatic cuff devices, but instead of inflating a cuff, the user presses his or her finger (and the underlying artery) against a combination of optical and pressure sensors to determine the blood pressure. The objectives of this program are to shrink the current prototype design and validate its accuracy. The proposed R&D plan includes miniaturization of the circuit components to mount them on a single board and optimization of the sensing technology and algorithm to work in a broad range of normotensive and hypertensive individuals. This work will be followed up by a clinical test of the monitor. The resulting device is expected to be small and thin enough to mount to the back of a smartphone and demonstrate clinical-grade accuracy for the measurement of blood pressure.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.