No pressure: Faculty researchers develop technology for cuffless blood pressure monitoring
A miniature sensor developed by Prof. Amir Rosenthal, Prof. Daniel H. Lange and doctoral student Gil Gelbert could enable continuous blood pressure monitoring through wearable devices. The research was published in Nature Communications.
Blood pressure is one of the most important indicators of cardiovascular health. Yet most measurements still rely on an inflatable cuff, providing a snapshot at a particular moment. A new technology developed by researchers at the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering could enable continuous, convenient monitoring without a cuff or any action by the wearer.
The research was led by faculty members Prof. Amir Rosenthal and Prof. Daniel H. Lange, together with doctoral student Gil Gelbert. Their technology combines silicon photonics with optoacoustic sensing: short pulses of light generate ultrasound waves inside an artery, while a miniature detector called SPADE captures the signals, enabling measurements of the artery’s diameter and its changes with each heartbeat. These measurements can be used to reconstruct the blood pressure waveform and estimate blood pressure over time.
Measuring arterial diameter provides a physiological basis for estimating blood pressure. Combined with models describing arterial behavior, this approach could support more accurate, continuous monitoring.
A key advantage of the technology is its use of a single, miniature sensing element. Many existing approaches require complex sensor arrays and precise placement on the body. The new technology shows relatively high tolerance to changes in the sensor’s position and angle. Proof-of-concept experiments with volunteers yielded promising results, capturing features of the blood pressure waveform at 100 measurements per second.
The researchers envision future integration into smartwatches, medical patches and other wearable devices. Such integration could enable blood pressure monitoring during everyday activities and provide information to support cardiovascular care.
Ron Moisseev, Yoav Hazan and Tamar Harary also participated in the research. The work was supported by the Israel Innovation Authority, the United Israel Appeal, and the Ollendorff Minerva Center for Vision and Image Sciences at the Technion (OMC).
