Now You Can Detect a Serious Heart Condition Using Your Smartphone

A global innovator in mobile technology for heart health AliveCor is working to help identify patients with undiagnosed heart conditions before potentially life-threatening conditions can occur, by using mobile devices for high-quality electrocardiograms (ECGs).AliveCor have created smartphone cases are used to double as heart monitors, allowing users to record ECGs simply by resting their device on their fingers or chest. The data can then be transmitted wirelessly to a physician for real-time monitoring. AliveCor describes its device as “a clinical-quality, low-cost mobile ECG device” that can help patients monitor their heart health anywhere and at any time. The FDA-approved device is also intended for use by physicians who can use it as “an additional heart health assessment tool”, and clinical studies have shown a 94 to 100 percent accuracy of the device in single-channel ECGs.David Albert, Founder of AliveCor, will be presenting at the Internet of Things Summit in Boston on 28-29 May. We caught up with David ahead of the summit to hear more about Alivecor and his thoughts on IoT applications in healthcare.What are the key factors that have enabled recent advancements in IOT?
Bluetooth Low Energy, Energy harvesting technologies, ubiquitous smartphones, virtually ubiquitous WiFi.

What industries do you think will be disrupted by IoT in the future?
Home security and automation as well as healthcare, automotive, manufacturing.

What are the practical applications of your work and what sectors are most likely to be affected?
We will have always-connected Body Area networks which stream data to the cloud where deep learning algorithms provide predictive analytics giving us a "Check Engine" light for our bodies.

What developments can we expect to see in IOT in the next 5 years?
smaller, cheaper, longer-lasting physiological sensors with cloud connectivity and deep learning predictive analytics.

Which areas do you feel could benefit from cross-industry collaboration?
Home security and healthcare as there are direct applications to the monitoring the safety and health of seniors and those with chronic diseases.

What advancements excite you most in the field?
Smartphones as hubs which enable streaming of physiologic status to the cloud where algorithms can act preventively.

The Internet of Things Summit is taking place in Boston on 28-29 May. Places are now limited, register today to avoid disappointment.

David Albert will be speaking on Day 1 of the summit, alongside speakers from Jibo, MIT, Jawbone, Rethink Robotics & more. View the schedule here.

Follow the event and community discussions on Twitter with the event hashtag #reworkIoT.