Blood pressure e-tattoo promises continuous, mobile monitoring

Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University have developed an electronic tattoo that can be worn comfortably on the wrist for hours and deliver continuous blood pressure measurements at an accuracy level exceeding nearly all available options on the market today. "Taking infrequent blood pressure measurements has many limitations, and it does not provide insight into exactly how our body is functioning," said Roozbeh Jafari, a professor of biomedical engineering, computer science and electrical engineering at Texas A&M and the other co-leader of the project. The continuous monitoring of the e-tattoo allows for blood pressure measurements in all kinds of situations: at times of high stress, while sleeping, exercising, etc. Leading smartwatches are not yet ready for blood pressure monitoring. E-tattoos make sense as a vehicle for mobile blood pressure monitoring because they reside in a sticky, stretchy material encasing the sensors that is comfortable to wear for long periods and does not slide around. There is a correlation between bioimpedance and changes in blood pressure that has to do with blood volume changes. In medicine, cuff-less blood pressure monitoring is the "Holy grail," Jafari said, but there isn't a viable solution on the market yet.