Starfish-inspired wearable tracks heart signals accurately on the move

Designed by Sicheng Chen and Zheng Yan from the Mizzou’s College of Engineering, the wearable features five flexible arms, each with embedded sensors that simultaneously capture electrical and mechanical heart signals. 

“Similar to a starfish, our device has five arms, each equipped with sensors that simultaneously capture both electrical and mechanical heart activity,” said Chen, lead author and postdoctoral fellow. “Most current devices focus on capturing only one signal or require separate devices to track multiple signals at the same time. This allows us to provide a more complete picture of someone’s heart health.” 

The wearable is connected to a smartphone app, where an artificial intelligence system processes the collected heart data. The AI was trained on signals from both healthy individuals and people with heart disease and can distinguish relevant patterns while filtering out movement-related disruptions. 

“This is also a benefit over traditional clinical heart tests such as the Doppler ultrasound, which usually requires patients to stay still to get accurate results,” said Chen. 

With over 90 percent accuracy in detecting heart conditions, the device allows remote monitoring via Bluetooth – enabling healthcare professionals such as cardiologists and general practitioners to review patient data between in-person visits. 

According to Zheng Yan, associate professor in Mizzou’s College of Engineering, comfort is a key focus of ongoing development: “A big challenge with wearable devices is that they can cause skin irritation when worn for long periods,” he said. 

Currently, the device uses a gel adhesive to remain attached to the skin, but future versions will include breathable, skin-friendly materials. The wearable can also charge wirelessly while being worn, supporting continuous use without interruption. 

MEDICA-tradefair.com; Source: University of Missouri-Columbia