Monitoring blood pressure has long been a critical part of preventing and managing cardiovascular diseases.
However, traditional methods often come with limitations that make continuous tracking difficult.
A groundbreaking innovation developed by researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) could soon transform how people monitor their heart health, offering a more convenient and accurate solution through a smartwatch that measures blood pressure without the need for a cuff.
Leading this innovation is Benjamin Sanchez Terrones, an associate professor in the College of Engineering at UIC.
His research team has developed a fully wireless smartwatch capable of continuously measuring blood pressure throughout the day, even while users are walking, running, or cycling.
The technology, recently published in Nature Communications, aims to make blood pressure monitoring more practical and reflective of real-world conditions.
One of the biggest challenges in cardiovascular healthcare is accurately tracking blood pressure over time.
Traditional blood pressure measurements taken during doctor visits only provide a snapshot of a person’s health at a specific moment.
As Sanchez Terrones explains, relying on a single reading is similar to trying to understand an entire movie from one screenshot.
Blood pressure naturally fluctuates throughout the day due to physical activity, stress, and other factors, making continuous monitoring essential for obtaining meaningful insights.
While home blood pressure monitors offer more frequent readings, they often require inflatable cuffs that can be uncomfortable and difficult for some individuals to use correctly.
Additionally, cuff-based measurements typically require users to remain still and at rest, limiting their ability to capture blood pressure changes during daily activities.
The new smartwatch addresses these shortcomings through an innovative approach. Instead of using a cuff, the device employs stainless steel electrodes that deliver an imperceptible electrical current to the wearer’s wrist.
By analyzing the body’s electrical response, the watch collects data related to blood flow and blood pressure.
This information is then processed using an advanced machine-learning model guided by established principles of physics, helping ensure accuracy and reliability.
Another significant advantage of the device is its seamless connectivity. Through Bluetooth technology, the smartwatch can transmit collected data to a computer or healthcare provider for offline analysis.
This capability could enable clinicians to gain a more comprehensive understanding of a patient’s cardiovascular health without disrupting their normal routines.
To evaluate the effectiveness of the technology, Sanchez Terrones and his team conducted tests involving 165 participants, including healthy individuals as well as adults living with hypertension or cardiovascular disease.
Participants wore the smartwatch while engaging in various physical activities, allowing researchers to assess the device’s performance under realistic conditions.
The early findings have been highly encouraging. However, researchers emphasize that further studies are necessary before the technology becomes widely available.
Upcoming clinical trials will focus on real-world usage over extended periods and among more diverse populations.
Researchers will also investigate how factors such as dehydration, body temperature fluctuations, and weight changes influence measurement accuracy.
The concept for the smartwatch originated while Sanchez Terrones was working at the University of Utah before joining UIC in 2025.
The University of Utah currently holds the intellectual property rights for the invention. Researcher Albert Fabregas also contributed significantly to the project.
As wearable health technology continues to evolve, innovations like this cuffless smartwatch have the potential to reshape preventive healthcare.
By making blood pressure monitoring more accessible, comfortable, and continuous, this breakthrough could help millions of people detect health risks earlier and manage cardiovascular conditions more effectively, ultimately contributing to better health outcomes worldwide.
Source: https://today.uic.edu/bye-bye-blood-pressure-cuff-this-new-device-measures-bp-on-the-go/
