Smart Wristband for Automated Cardiac Arrest Detection and Alarming

The chance of surviving an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) when there is no witness to alert the emergency medical services is extremely low. Roughly half of sudden cardiac arrests occur in the absence of a witness, and it is not uncommon for this to happen to individuals, including young people, who were actively engaged in life. These events profoundly impact relatives, bystanders, and society as a whole.

To improve survival chances, private partners, scientists and doctors have joined forces in this project to develop a wearable device capable of automatically detecting cardiac arrests and alerting the emergency services. Early intervention is crucial as it is considered the pivotal link in the chain of survival, potentially increasing survival rates by 2-3 times with widespread implementation of such technology. Early intervention also enhances functional outcomes, such as facilitating return to work and societal activities, while reducing healthcare costs and yielding positive economic effects. In a previous phase of the project, an algorithm for cardiac arrest detection was developed using photoplethysmography data from patients with induced cardiac arrest. The current focus is on minimizing false positive alarms for cardiac arrests to ensure emergency responders are not unnecessarily dispatched. Healthy volunteers and patients will wear the developed wristband to assess false positive cardiac arrest alarm rates. Based on findings, the algorithm will be refined to reduce false alarms, followed by a comprehensive reassessment. Upon confirming the device's functionality, the final deliverable will be a medically certified wristband capable of detecting and alerting in case of cardiac arrest in a home setting.