Qura: Remote blood pressure measurement
Qura (Framington, Mass.) is developing Qsmart — a tiny, implantable, wireless pressure sensor. Company officials are initially focusing on using the sensor to monitor glaucoma but see opportunities to use it to monitor other diseases such as cardiac disorders. The sensor system includes a micro-sensor (MEMS), a lithium ceramic rechargeable battery, an integrated circuit with power and data management, on-board memory to store data until it can be wirelessly transmitted and an antenna. It’s all assembled into a biocompatible package. An external unit not only recharges the device but also sensor data to an APP in a smartphone, which then sends the data to a care provider via the cellular network.
Before marketing the sensor for humans, Qura first plans to market the sensor next year to veterinarians for use in dogs.