Almost half of US adults have hypertension and only one out of four have it under control, according to the CDC. One key to being aware of your blood pressure is to take measurements on a regular basis. Having it checked only two or three times a year when you see a doctor just is not good enough in most cases. Home blood pressure cuffs aren’t expensive, but they can be cumbersome and awkward to use by yourself, and many people fail to keep track even if they have one.
This is why there is so much interest in cuff-less blood pressure monitors. Last year, we covered the beta release of Biospectal’s OptiBO for Android at CES 2021 that uses a smartphone camera to measure blood pressure. This year at CES 2022, they announced the release of a beta version for iOS phones as well.
The company also announced the development of the Biodisc, a stand-alone cuff-less blood pressure monitor. This is a simple little device where you rest your finger in an indentation. It will require just about 20 seconds to take a reading, which can then be sent to a smartphone or WiFi connection to the cloud for analysis and reporting. It will also have a digital readout where you can see the results.
The Biodisc is still in the prototype stage, and the company does not expect it to be a shipping product until sometime in 2023. Still, a product like this could be a game changer by making blood pressure monitoring in the home faster and more convenient, which could help millions keep better track of their hypertension.
