• Copyrights
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Shop
  • Fun Box
Biostandups | Connecting Science, Biotechnology & Healthcare
  • Home
  • Bio News
    • Bio Research
    • Bio Tech
    • Health, Food and Fitness
    • Agriculture
    • Public Health and Issues
    • Earth and Environment
    • Pharmacy
    • Women Health
  • Bio Woman
    • Face of the month
    • Raising talents
    • Voice of Women
    • WISE
  • Bio Business
    • Startup Guide
    • Entrepreneurship
  • JOB POSTINGS
    • Study at University
    • Organizations
    • Fellowships / Grants
    • Opportunities for Freshers
    • Awards/Prizes/Medals
  • Bio Protocols
    • Basic Protocols
    • Multiple Research Protocols
    • Video Protocols
    • Protocol Exchange
    • Thesis/Paper writing tools
  • Bio Events
  • About Us
    • Founding Team
    • Advisory Board
    • Partners
    • Editors
    • Contributors
    • Sponsors
    • Donate Us
    • Media Room
  • Contact us

Low-cost AI heart monitor developed by Cambridge start-up

Sabeera Bonala/04 Nov, 18/741/0
Startups
Credit @ University of Cambridge

A Cambridge start-up has developed a low-cost next-generation wearable heart and cardiovascular function monitor which uses AI to diagnose heart rhythm and respiratory problems in real time.

The company, Cambridge Heartwear, hopes to use its wireless monitor to improve the detection of irregular and dangerous heart rhythms and reduce the impact of stroke and stroke-related mortality and morbidity, which affects 120,000 people in the UK each year.

Professor Roberto Cipolla from Cambridge’s Department of Engineering met cardiologist and clinical academic Dr Rameen Shakur in 2015, a year after Roberto’s father had died of a stroke. Their ongoing research collaboration has now led to the formation of Cambridge Heartwear, a company based on the Cambridge Science Park.

The company’s device, called Heartsense, includes a multiple lead ECG, oxygen sensing, temperature and tracking device which can be comfortably worn by patients for early screening. Sensors are enclosed in a robust waterproof casing, and the data produced is far more sensitive than that from current single lead wearable devices, as the development team have used their knowledge of clinical anatomy and electrophysiology to place leads for maximal signal output.

This data is wirelessly streamed in real time to the cloud where adaptive AI algorithms are able to identify clinically relevant irregular and dangerous rhythms just as a physician would. The device incorporates multiple independent sensors, in order to produce more specific and sensitive data than current heart monitors can provide.

The research challenge was to produce algorithms that can learn from a limited amount of supervision from the cardiologist. “Our aim was not to replace the cardiologist, but to give them diagnostic support in real time,” said Cipolla.

To encourage the adoption by clinicians the team ensured that the output of the AI algorithms also included the information commonly used by a cardiologist. “This was not necessary for the final diagnosis but made the system a little more understandable and explainable than typical Deep Learning systems, which are still thought of as black boxes,” said Cipolla.

NHS figures suggest atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common heart rhythm disturbance encountered by doctors, affects in excess of one million people across the UK. According to national and international data, more than 80% of people who either die or are left with severe neurological deficits following a stroke had an irregular heartbeat as the underlying cause. However, irregular heartbeat is often diagnosed only after a person has had a stroke.

There are more than 100,000 strokes in the UK every year, and it is the fourth biggest killer in the in the UK, with more than 23,000 deaths last year. The NHS spends £2.5 billion annually on neurological treatment and rehabilitation for stroke patients.

“It makes sense to pick up AF before someone has a stroke and put preventative treatment in place,” said Shakur, who was formerly a Wellcome Trust Clinical Fellow at Cambridge and is now based at MIT. “Unfortunately, the technology and clinical care systems we currently have in place aren’t really doing this.”

Heart rhythms are currently measured by an electrocardiogram (ECG). To use an ECG as someone is going about their daily business, rather than in a GP surgery, a device called a Holter monitor is used. This requires fixing 12 leads to the patient’s chest and carrying the cumbersome device around for 24 hours.

It can take as long as four to six weeks from the time when a patient is referred by their GP to when the data from the Holter monitor is analysed and an irregular heartbeat is detected or not. Additionally, a Holter monitor costs as much as £2000.

“If you’re wearing an ECG over a long period of time, you’re collecting a huge amount of data,” said Shakur. “Finding an irregularity among all the normal rhythms can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. I wanted to automate this process, helping the patient to get a diagnosis and start on treatment.”

To solve this problem, Shakur began collaborating with Cipolla, a world leader in computer vision and real-world applications, and students from the Department of Engineering. The collaboration led to the founding of Cambridge Heartwear in 2017 and the development of the unique device and some powerful algorithms that can automatically interpret ECG data, which have an accuracy level in excess of 95%.

In 2017, the company secured funding to build and test 100 prototypes of the new heart monitor and to extend its AI capability. The Royal College of Art was also helped in the ergonomic design of the device. Heartsense will cost substantially less than a Holter monitor.

Source & Credit @ University of Cambridge. 

Share
AI gadgetsBiotech in AsiaHealthcareMedtechStart up

Business incubators and start-up accelerators:...

04 Nov, 18

FoodTech Startup “Terramino Foods”...

04 Nov, 18

Related Posts

Bio NewsBio Tech

BACTERIA THAT EATS METAL, PROCESSES CARBON ACCIDENTALLY...

Bio NewsMicro BiologyPublic Health and Issues

Gut bacteria improve type 2 diabetes risk prediction

Health, Food and Fitness

Stem cell therapy: why we need to be suspicious about...

mm
Sabeera Bonala
Editor @ biostandups

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

View more jobs >>

Face of the month - February

A career in research is always challenging more so because the techniques and technologies are changing fast. One has to keep updated about the kind of work going on globally. Securing grants for your research is however the toughest challenge. Mentoring students and solving their problems also becomes quite challenging at times. - Dr. Charu Lata

Raising Talents

The moment he granted me a seat, the news spread like anything. The principal called Mr. Sahu and almost every person laughed at me. I was a very simple girl from middle-class family. Many unwanted suggestions poured in. But I think I was destined to be here. Days went by. At the end of every year, a mining student has to go for training in mines.

Most Viewed

Bio TechCareer

Best List of Biotech Internships in India

Agriculture

Evolution of Fruits and Vegetables –...

Most Commented

5 biologists to receive Elsevier Foundation...

06 Sep, 16

Career Talks on Biotechnology and Bioinformatics

04 Jan, 17

World Health/Biotech News

[wp-rss-aggregator limit="50" pagination="false"] View more >>

News By Category

  • Agriculture (73)
  • Bio News (146)
  • Bio Tech (103)
  • Career (40)
  • Earth and Environment (101)
  • Health, Food and Fitness (125)
  • Innovation & Technology (35)
  • Interview Series (11)
  • Micro Biology (1)
  • Pharmacy (98)
  • Public Health and Issues (144)
  • Startups (61)
  • Uncategorized (3)
  • Women Health (78)
  • Women in STEM (9)
  • Women safety (1)

Archives

  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • July 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016

Recent Posts

BACTERIA THAT EATS METAL, PROCESSES CARBON...

22 Jul, 20

Gut bacteria improve type 2 diabetes risk...

06 Jul, 20

Stem cell therapy: why we need to be suspicious...

24 Jun, 20

PHAR-EAST 2020

The 3rd edition of Phar-East is happening in Singapore from 31 March to 1 April 2020. It is your chance to network with over 1,000 leading experts from across Asia and gain insights about the latest trends in the pharma and biotech industry.

  • Home
  • Our Mission
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Memberships