Dynocardia has received a $1 million NSF grant to enhance their unique computer vision-based motion-correction technology and expand the applications of its ViTrack® continuous non-invasive blood pressure (cNIBP) monitor

Dynocardia's proprietary computer-vision technology effectively identifies and compensates for movement artifacts. Overcoming these artifacts has long been a significant challenge in accurately measuring blood pressure (BP) and other vital health parameters. With upcoming enhancements, this technology will enable real-time BP monitoring in everyday environments, significantly expanding the capabilities of the ViTrack cNIBP monitor.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a $1 million follow-up grant to Dynocardia, a leading medical technology company specializing in blood pressure (BP) monitoring. This funding will greatly enhance the company's innovative motion-artifact mitigation technology, enabling precise and continuous monitoring of BP and other vital signs in real-world situations. This is particularly important as it minimizes interference caused by patient movement or environmental factors, such as vibrations during ambulance transportation. Addressing motion artifacts has historically presented significant challenges to accurately measuring BP and other vital signs with existing technologies.

The NSF is a federal agency established by Congress in 1950 to support research and education in all fields of science and engineering. NSF funds game-changing technologies—often based on fundamental science or engineering to create new products, services, and other scalable solutions. The projects that the NSF funds must have the potential to positively benefit society and lead to significant outcomes in the commercial market.

Dynocardia's ViTrack technology takes a fundamentally different approach to BP measurement, resulting in an accurate, continuous, direct measurement of BP. ViTrack technology uses a unique optomechanical sensor that interprets real-time absolute systolic and diastolic BP for every heartbeat from continuous video images of skin displacement over the radial artery at the wrist. It does this without the need for a traditional BP cuff. Additionally, ViTrack can continuously measure other vital signs, such as heart rate, respiratory rate, and advanced heart function parameters.

With initial support from NSF in 2021, Dynocardia developed a proprietary computer-vision technology that enables ViTrack to mitigate motion artifacts and deliver reliable BP measurement despite patient movement. ViTrack was evaluated in a diverse patient population in challenging ICU environments, where it was compared to arterial-line measurements taken simultaneously in a patient's opposing, restrained arm. Following rigorous protocols, ViTrack successfully obtained continuous waveform and Q20 sec BP readings despite patient movement and abnormal heart rhythms. These results represent a significant milestone in establishing ViTrack technology's abilities to address real-world clinical needs by delivering reliable and continuous measurement of BP.

The follow-up NSF funding will accelerate Dynocardia's motion-artifact mitigation technology and will support monitoring during ambulance transport in hospitals and at home. BP monitoring with ViTrack has the potential to improve treatment outcomes for millions of critically ill patients and the 1.5 billion people worldwide with chronic hypertension, a leading cause of stroke and heart attack.

"Outside operating rooms and intensive care units, continuous non-invasive blood pressure monitoring could potentially improve perioperative care", noted Bernd Saugel, MD, Professor of Anesthesiology, Vice Chair Department of Anesthesiology, Center of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Hamburg, Germany. "Potential uses include ambulatory preoperative monitoring to establish baseline blood pressure and continuous vital sign monitoring for post-surgical patients on general wards."

"The need for technology that reliably measures over 24 hours across various care settings is critical and must be addressed," commented Kazuomi Kario, MD, PhD, FACC, FAHA, FESC, Chairman of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine at the Jichi Medical University School of Medicine (JMU) in Japan. "Beyond use in the ICU and pre-hospital settings, the potential for home use, especially for patients with nocturnal hypertension and sleep apnea syndrome, could be significant."

"The steadfast support from the NSF clearly demonstrates strong confidence in our motion-artifact mitigation technology," declared Mohan Thanikachalam, MD, cardiac surgeon and Founder and CEO of Dynocardia. "Accurate and continuous measurement of blood pressure and vital signs in various care settings is essential for preventing cardiac arrest and acute events in hospitals. Furthermore, obtaining precise 24-hour real-world data can significantly improve risk prediction, help prevent strokes and heart attacks in individuals with hypertension, and provide actionable insights to delay vascular aging and support cardiovascular disease prevention."

About Dynocardia

Founded in 2018 with support from Tufts University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Dynocardia is a medical technology company committed to improving healthcare worldwide. ViTrack^® technology, the company's first diagnostic technology, is a first- of-its-kind, cuff-less blood pressure monitoring device that allows continuous, non-invasive blood pressure (cNIBP) measurement. For more information, visit www.dynocardia.com and LinkedIn.

Disclaimer: This product is not yet available for use in the U.S. and is pending submission and clearance by the United States FDA.

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SOURCE Dynocardia