Description:
Overview
A non-invasive wearable monitoring platform designed to continuously assess cardiac function through simultaneous electrocardiography (ECG) and seismocardiography (SCG). The system enables real-time evaluation of myocardial contraction and relaxation characteristics, providing an early warning system for congestive heart failure (CHF) and other cardiac conditions.
Clinical Need
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death globally and in the United States. Congestive heart failure contributes substantially to healthcare costs, with expenditures driven largely by recurrent hospitalizations. Direct medical costs associated with CHF are projected to exceed $53 billion annually in the United States by 2030.
Current monitoring methods often identify cardiac deterioration only after symptoms appear or require periodic assessment through echocardiography performed in a healthcare setting. As a result, opportunities for early intervention may be missed, leading to avoidable hospital admissions and worsening patient outcomes.
Solution
This wearable system provides continuous monitoring of cardiac health and has the potential to deliver early warnings of worsening heart failure. Insights generated by the platform may allow patients and clinicians to adjust medications, diet, and behavior before hospitalization becomes necessary. The technology may also improve access to advanced cardiac monitoring for underserved populations through a low-cost, mobile health solution.
Technology
The platform combines ECG, which measures the heart's electrical activity, with SCG, which captures mechanical cardiac motion. Data from both sensors are analyzed together to provide insights into cardiac efficiency and myocardial performance that are not available from ECG alone.
The system evaluates lusitropic (relaxation) and inotropic (contraction) cardiac function on a beat-by-beat basis, providing information traditionally available only through echocardiographic assessment. Proof-of-concept has been demonstrated in large animal studies and pilot human studies using a low-cost wearable device platform. Additional clinical studies are planned in heart failure and at-risk patient populations.
Advantages
Development
Stage: Human Proof-of-Concept (Pilot Study)
Additional Validation: Preclinical and translational studies completed
IP: U.S. Patent Nos. 10,085,665 and 10,918,300; additional U.S. patent applications pending.
Opportunities
Co-development, licensing, strategic clinical validation, and digital health partnerships.
Contact
Neal Lemon, PhD, MBA
AVP, Innovation & Technology Commercialization
Cooper University Health Care | Rowan University
lemon-neal@cooperhealth.org