Using the same phase shift technology developed for its portable breast cancer screener, researchers at Nihon University have created a blood pressure monitor that works like a fingerprint reader. So gone are the days when your upper arm needs to be strangled with an inflated cuff.
A pair of LEDs and light sensors embedded into the monitor shine light into a patient’s fingertip and measure its intensity when it bounces back. Increased blood pressure means there’s a greater density of red blood cells in a given area, which will absorb more light and appear darker to the sensor.
And while the prototype isn’t huge, it’s not not exactly compact either. So as this technology is refined and approved for consumer use, it’s safe to assume it will be reduced to the size of biometric fingerprint scanners in use today. And eventually even incorporated into mobile devices so you can check the status of your ticker while checking your email. [Tech-On!]