Non-intrusive Blood pressure clip Adapted for Increased Success

Researchers from the University of Missouri are adapting a blood pressure finger device to deliver a fast and non-intrusive approach to calculate and keep track of people’s blood pressure. The finger clip will also calculate heart rate, temperature, respiratory rate and heart rate.

Richard Byfield, lead author of the study, said that “Typically, calculating someone’s blood pressure at a hospital or clinic involves using an inflatable cuff wrapped around their arm, but there are three issues with that method – it can cause damage to someone’s arteries if done repeatedly within a short amount of time; people’s blood pressure can rise due to nervousness; and it can take up to 30 seconds to complete.”

He continued: “Our device can record someone’s blood pressure within five seconds by using optical sensors placed on the fingertip that measure the amount of light reflected off the blood vessels underneath the surface of the skin.”

A duo of sensors is used to find the pulse and measure pulse wave velocity in what is known as PPG (photoplethysmography). A study showed the device to be 90% reliable for systolic blood pressure, and just over 60% reliable for diastolic blood pressure. The latter of the two (an individual’s lowest blood pressure result) is difficult to measure because it is influenced by age, weight, artery stiffness, and health.

The two main issues surrounding PPG are artifact motion and the quantity of sensors. The former refers to when “you move a PPG sensor while it’s reading, it can affect the waves that are being recorded. On top of that, differences in pressure can alter the waves, but with a finger clip design, a spring provides constant pressure.” The latter refers to how “these finger clips only have one sensor, but we have two sensors in our device.”

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