Armband Device Monitors Vital Signs

A new wearable medical device monitors the vital signs of wearers as they go about their daily activities, offering more flexibility and convenience than equipment that cannot leave the laboratory. The developer says it may offer scientists and study participants an entirely new, remote way to record and analyze everything from sleep patterns and blood pressure to adherence to obesity programs.

Called SenseWear, the device is worn by the user on an adjustable armband, where it can track vital signs, sleep cycles, calories burned, or relaxation response. Data is downloaded wirelessly from the armband to a personal computer or other device. SenseWear was developed by BodyMedia, Inc. (Pittsburgh, PA, USA).

As part of a three-year agreement, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Health System and BodyMedia will collaborate on clinical research. UPMC will provide financial sponsorship with the goal of obtaining governmental approvals for products and services related to sleep disorders, treatment compliance, obesity management, rehabilitation and pain management, and fertility assessment and management.

"SenseWear will give us the ability to get information from study participants we could previously get only in a lab,” said Dr. David Kupfer, medical director of UPMC's Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. "The technology will allow us to conduct large public health studies at less cost and may prove to be very useful for chronic disease research and management.”




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