Wearable Laser-Based Technology Ushers in Next Generation of Health Monitoring

The integration of miniature short-wave infrared (SWIR) laser-based spectroscopy biosensing alongside conventional LED-based photoplethysmography (PPG) biosensing has enabled a new category of non-invasive biosensing in a wearable form factor.

The Bioptx Biosensing Band from Rockley Photonics (Oxford, UK) incorporates the company’s breakthrough SWIR biosensing technology based on their proprietary photonic integrated circuit (PIC) chipset. By incorporating the SWIR spectrophotometer into a wearable capable of several days of measurement, Rockley has demonstrated continuous collection of spectral data which provides unique insights into tissue composition and dynamics. The platform delivers real-time streaming of the SWIR-based biomarkers of body temperature and hydration, alongside the LED-based PPG biomarkers of heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, and blood oxygen saturation. To be able to continuously and non-invasively collect spectral data from an immediate space between blood vessels and cells is unprecedented.

Rockley’s clinic-on-the-wrist technology has the potential to significantly enhance the range of biomarkers that can be detected and measured by a single wearable device. These measurements could provide near-real-time insights into a variety of conditions and help both patients and healthcare providers make better-informed decisions. Rockley’s cloud analytics and AI will allow providers to analyze biomarker information, monitor general health conditions, and track health metrics. The Bioptx band also supports over-the-air firmware upgrades to enhance detection algorithms or add new biomarker detection capabilities as they become available. Rockley has now announced the sampling of the complete Bioptx Biosensing Band and Platform to its strategic customers and partners.

“We are thrilled to usher in the next generation of health monitoring with wearable laser-based technology,” said Dr. Andrew Rickman, CEO and Chairman. “Rockley has created the full technology stack from the design of the PIC, which forms the miniature spectrophotometer, to the full wearable integration and novel biomarker delivery. We have significantly progressed the SWIR-tissue measurement science and biomarker algorithms through IRB-approved human studies. As we have recently demonstrated with our non-invasive glucose sensing and cuffless blood pressure studies, laser-based biosensors will continue to expand and enhance our understanding of human health.”

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Rockley Photonics