Smart wrist wearable for continuous cuffless blood pressure and vital signs across diverse skin tones
Official title: Smart Wearable Continuous Cuffless Blood Pressure, Cardiac and Respiratory Monitoring System Agnostic to Skin Tone
Funded at Texas Engineering Experiment Station · NIH-11449053 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A wearable wrist device will continuously monitor blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing in adults of diverse skin tones and body types, using non-invasive sensors and smart algorithms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas Engineering Experiment Station NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Station, United States) |
| Project start | August 19, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $706,159 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HL184061-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11449053 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 years and older with varying BMI and skin tones who are at risk for or living with hypertension or blood pressure variability.
✕Less likely to help
People without hypertension or blood pressure variability, or those unable to use wearable devices, may see little direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to create a patent-pending wrist-worn sensor system that continuously tracks blood pressure without a cuff. It will combine multiple non-invasive sensors with deep-learning algorithms to deliver accurate, real-time BP, heart rate, and respiratory rate measurements across a wide range of skin tones and BMI levels. The goal is to provide a practical, comfortable alternative to traditional cuff-based monitoring that can be used in everyday life and clinical settings. The work will involve developing, validating, and optimizing the hardware and software to ensure reliability in varied real-world conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could consistently monitor blood pressure and vital signs at home or on the go, enabling timely management of hypertension and related cardiovascular risks.
How similar studies have gone: Previous cuffless or wearable BP efforts exist but often struggle with accuracy across diverse populations; this project aims to improve that with diversified sensors and deep learning.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas Engineering Experiment Station
College Station, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cote, Gerard L. — Texas Engineering Experiment Station
- Study coordinator: Cote, Gerard L.
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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.