I-Corps: A Cloud-based Wearable ECG Sensor on a Finger Ring

George Washington University, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is to enable personalized monitoring of sudden cardiac events and heart arrhythmia by combining a wearable device and cloud computing. The project will utilize a patented cloud-connected ring sensor for long-term on-demand Electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring. Current ECG monitoring is a $4 billion dollar market. However no existing product can provide on-demand multi-lead ECG signals over long periods (over one month). Every year over 380,000 Americans die from heart attacks, of which one third happen outside a hospital, motivating a solution to a personalized cardiac monitoring device which can provide actionable diagnosis on-demand and is connected with physicians for quick intervention. This project will potentially enable a first-in-kind ring ECG sensor to serve this unmet need. This I-Corps project will support extensive customer discovery with cardiac patients, healthcare workers, cardiologists, nurses, and telemedicine companies. In addition, through the NSF I-Corps Team program, two engineering doctoral students will learn important entrepreneurial skills such as the lean start-up model, go through an intensive and rigorous customer discovery process, and network with potential investors and partners. This I-Corps project integrates wearable devices with cloud computing to enable personalized cardiac monitoring on-demand. The intellectual merit of the project stems from the innovation of flexible electronics based miniature ECG sensors and cloud-based informatics system. By integrating wearable ECG sensors and cloud computing, on-demand cardiac monitoring information can be shared with cardiologists and emergency physicians. A smartphone can be used to receive physician-suggested actions for early intervention. During this I-Corps project, the team will explore the market potential for cloud-based wearable biosensors at point-of-care settings for cardiac applications where long term on-demand monitoring is important. The project will involve an extensive customer discovery process with potential stakeholders, business model generation and potential partner identification. More broadly, this platform technology is also applicable to other wearable devices and chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, depression and dementia. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.