The Unprecedented User Experience of Continuous Blood Pressure Monitoring with Wearables

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and high blood pressure is a major contributor to this problem. Until recently, monitoring blood pressure meant visiting a doctor, clinic or hospital and undergoing an invasive procedure with a bulky and uncomfortable cuff. Or measuring 24 hr profiles using a complicated system of cuff and pump taped to your body which made raise your bloods pressure just by the pure fact of irritating your body and comfort. 

However, advances in technology have changed the game, and continuous blood pressure monitoring is now possible with the use of an optical sensor wearable bracelet such as Aktiia - for example.

What is Aktiia?

Aktiia is a new generation wearable device - classified as a medical device - that continuously monitors blood pressure. It uses a unique technology based on photoplethysmography (PPG), which measures blood flow by shining light through the skin and detecting changes in blood volume. The device is worn on the wrist and can be worn 24/7, providing a continuous stream of data on the wearer's blood pressure.

This bracelet helped me to get my blood pressure - after episodes of unhealthy peak levels, and high night pressure - back under control.

The Unprecedented User Experience

The user experience of continuous blood pressure monitoring with Aktiia is truly unprecedented. With its sleek and comfortable design, the device can be worn at all times, providing constant monitoring of the wearer's blood pressure. This means that any changes in blood pressure can be detected and recorded immediately, allowing for early detection of any potential problems.

One of the biggest advantages of Aktiia is the ease of use. The device is simple to set up, and the accompanying app provides a user-friendly interface for tracking blood pressure and other health data. The app also provides personalized insights and tips for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, making it easier for users to stay on top of their health.

Another significant benefit of Aktiia is the ability to provide data in real-time. The device sends data wirelessly to the accompanying app, allowing users to see their blood pressure readings in real-time. This information can be used to make informed decisions about their health, such as adjusting medication or lifestyle changes.

Finally, Aktiia is also convenient for busy individuals. Unlike traditional blood pressure monitoring methods, there is no need to schedule appointments or visit a clinic. The device can be worn wherever the user goes, providing constant monitoring and data collection.

Conclusion

In conclusion, solutions such as Aktiia offer an unprecedented user experience for continuous blood pressure monitoring. With its sleek and comfortable design, ease of use, real-time data collection, and the ability to provide personalized insights, such wearable diagnostics devices are set to revolutionize the way people monitor and manage their blood pressure. Whether you're an individual concerned about your health or a healthcare professional looking for a more efficient way to monitor your patients, Aktiia provides a new and exciting solution.

User experience in virus infection diagnosis

The current 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak makes us once again aware how crucial early diagnosis and early intervention is.
Early treatment is crucial in almost any disease. And very difficult to achieve.

An example like COVID-19, a virus infection with contagious incubation periods of 2-14 days, shows that medicine where symptomatic episodes only are the entry for a patient to enter the health care system is leading to huge impact for that particular patient, but also for society and economy.
The global outbreak (according to World Economic Forum, bigger than previous SARS and MERS).

As a citizen, I am confused. What should I do? - Should I hide at home, avoid any social contacts, bunker food and supplies, and prepare for a longer period in isolation.
At work, teleworking models become more and more popular. And supposedly suddenly web-conferences work, even in settings which were meant to essentially require face to face interaction.

Is this the chance for internet communication tools to raise in importance. Do usability aspects which were insurmountable pains and hurdles suddenly vanish?
I hope that the current situation and raising focus on respective technological tools will lead to more focus on research and development of respective tools and improve on user experience accordingly.

On the other hand, the big problem to solve is early diagnosis or screening of the population for infections during asymptomatic phase of episodes.
A quick literature search was surprising. The proven best tools recommended for screening and early diagnosis are probably also the most expensive ones in terms of cost, and not necessarily the most appealing in terms of user experience.

There are several studies concluding that chest computer tomography should be used for screening and early diagnosis of infected patients. The reported sensitivities are 98%.
For sure an effective approach, however at substantial cost if entire populations shall be screened.
And, for a screening effort I doubt that CT is really a citizen friendly intervention.

One would think that blood or throat swab testing using RT-PCR or similar would be much more suited for screening.

Now, from a citizen user experience point of view, what is needed?
1) an alerting system identifying sub-populations at risk based.
2) an easy test to diagnose if a person is infected or not.

I am sure there are creative ideas for 1). By tracking and measuring social interactions and over time more and more learn how infections spread until one is in the position to actually predict populations at risk.
For 2) an effective testing protocol is required which requires a simply to be collected sample from a citizen, which can be measured in a decentralised setting, providing immediate results, and being able to identify infected patients shortly after infection.

Medical tricorder.

I still believe that it is an illusion to hope for the magic dream of the medical tricorder that detects everything within seconds. That would be user experience. Both, for medical professionals and even more for patients!

The medical tricorder was equipped with sensors and analysis software tailored for medical diagnostic purposes.
A feature set virtually invented in the 1970ies as part of the Starfleet TV episodes.

The tricorder a device delivering maximum diagnostic user experience.