Show-Me State Times

University of Missouri researchers, inspired by the starfish's unique movement, have developed a wearable device to improve heart monitoring accuracy during motion. The innovation involves a starfish-shaped device created by Sicheng Chen and Zheng Yan, which offers more stable contact with the skin than traditional wearable tech like smartwatches.

Sicheng Chen explained, “Similar to a starfish, our device has five arms, each equipped with sensors that simultaneously capture both electrical and mechanical heart activity.” This multi-signal capturing method provides a comprehensive view of heart health, as opposed to current devices that typically focus on a single type of signal.

Additionally, the device incorporates AI technology to enhance heart monitoring. The AI system learns from data that includes both healthy and diseased heart signals, achieving over 90% accuracy in identifying heart conditions. It pairs with a smartphone app, offering real-time insights and allowing for remote doctor consultations.

The research team is addressing comfort and usability challenges with traditional wearables. As noted by Zheng Yan, the team is developing skin-friendly materials for long-term use. The device can also charge wirelessly without being removed. As the innovation progresses, it aims to revolutionize heart health management.

The study, titled “Starfish-inspired wearable bioelectronic systems for physiological signal monitoring during motion and real-time heart disease diagnosis,” appears in Science Advances, co-authored by Qunle Ouyang, Xuanbo Miao, Zehua Chen, and Ganggang Zhao.