feature Health – the next smartphone challenge Smartphones are now such a ubiquitous part of most people’s lives that we can scarcely remember a time when we didn’t have them with us 24/7. Smartphones have changed how we do many things – and these incredibly useful gadgets have evolved to the point of indispensability for most people. Consumers now expect to use their smartphones to access quality information, products and services anywhere, and at any time. As the range of tasks they enable continues to expand, what is the next likely development? One Swiss company, Leman Micro Devices, believes it has the answer. Based in Lausanne, Swit- zerland, in the heart of the “Health Valley”, the 9-year old company is backed by major players within the mobile device industry and has developed a health monitoring system for integration into the next generation of smartphones. LMD’s e-Checkup™ is a unique sensor combined with an easy-to-use app, and is the world’s fi rst smartphone-integrated system to measure blood pressure and other vital signs to medical accuracy. This opens up a myriad of possibil- ities, both for individuals, medical professionals, and the whole health ecosystem. How does it work? e-Checkup consists of LMD’s V-Sensor, which is built into the smartphone, and an app. The unique capa- Smartphones have changed the way we do many things – almost to the point of indispen-bility of the V-Sensor is that it can accurately measure sability. Source: Leman Micro Devices blood pressure by usingaaant of the traditional Riva-Rocci technique. Instead of an uncomfortable cu, the user simply places the tip of an index fi nger Hotly tipped as the next major aspect of our onto the recess containing the V-Sensor built into lives to be touched by smartphones is our the back case of the smartphone and maintains the health. All the major smartphone companies correct pressure for approximately 60 seconds. This have active health groups and projects; indeed Ap- occludes the arteries of the tip of the index fi nger ple’s Tim Cook has been quoted as saying “Health- while the e-Checkup app shows a game which care may make the smartphone market look small”. instructs the user to press harder or softer to regulate We already use our phones to make appointments, the pressure of the fi nger and therefore the oc- look up symptoms on the web and we are begin- clusion. The technique is possible due to the fact ning to use them for telehealth consultations. Now that the index fi nger’s blood vessels are near to the consumer wearables such as FitBits and the Apple surface of the skin and the V-Sensor is able to detect Watch* are established in the market and people occlusion optically using a pulse oximeter. As with who have bought these devices are accustomed to conventional blood pressure monitors using a cu seeing their own personalised health data such as and the Riva-Rocci technique, the e-Checkup system heart rate displayed on their wrists. What di erencesneeds no personal calibration – blood pressure is could these technologies bring to healthcare for themeasured directly. individual? And will such devices ever be accepted Other vital signs can also be measured with by the medical profession? e-Checkup to medical accuracy. There is a built-in 26 N° 5 – Septembre 2019