Noninvasive blood pressure and biomarker panel using AI-enhanced 2-site PPG
Official title: Quantifying cardiometabolic risks by AI based assay of photoplethysmogram data
Funded at East Carolina University · NIH-11444955 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to create a portable, noninvasive device that uses optical signals to estimate blood pressure, blood glucose, and arterial health markers for people at risk of cardiometabolic diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | East Carolina University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Greenville, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $561,100 |
| NIH project number | 1R15HL184252-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11444955 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults at risk for cardiometabolic diseases who could benefit from noninvasive, at-home monitoring.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without access to compatible devices or with conditions that affect optical signal integrity may see limited benefit.
What this research studies
This project plans to develop a small, wearable PPG device that captures signals from two sites on the body to estimate a panel of cardiometabolic biomarkers. Using machine learning and physics-informed neural networks, the team will reduce noise from motion and extract reliable BP, BG, and PWV measurements. The goal is a validated workflow that translates raw optical signals into clinically meaningful biomarkers for ongoing risk assessment. The work focuses on translating this technology into a practical, portable prototype that patients could use outside of traditional clinics.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could monitor key cardiometabolic risk factors noninvasively at home, enabling earlier intervention and personalized management.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show promise in noninvasive biomarker estimation from PPG, but this project advances toward a portable, two-site approach with AI-driven data processing.
Where this research is happening
-
East Carolina University
Greenville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hu, Xin Hua — East Carolina University
- Study coordinator: Hu, Xin Hua
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.