Although it is the world’s leading cause of death, cardiovascular disease frequently goes undetected. Often, when the disease results in a heart attack or other sudden condition, treatment comes too late. A team of researchers at the University of Pittsburgh is developing a low-cost, cell phone–based electrocardiogram device that could lead to earlier detection and treatment.
Diagnosing Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular disease—such as heart attacks, stroke and hypertension—is to blame for about 30 percent of all deaths worldwide, making it the single leading cause of death. An estimated 17.5 million people died from cardiovascular disease in 2005, and the number is expected to top 20 million per year by 2015. ("The Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke," World Health Organization, 2007.)
Electrocardiogram (ECG) is the most widely used method for diagnosing cardiovascular disease. A noninvasive clinical tool, ECG measures the electrical impulses that travel through the heart, determining its rate and rhythm. It can be used to spot coronary problems such as heart attacks, abnormal heart rhythms, and reduced blood supply to the heart and electrolyte disturbances.
While most electrocardiogram machines used in hospitals and clinics today are stationary and expensive, mobile ECG devices that run on cell phones or personal digital assistants (PDAs) are gaining in popularity among researchers. However, most of these mobile devices merely display ECG data and record it for later review by a diagnosing physician.
Developing a More Versatile Solution: HeartToGo Project
HeartToGo will be able to display and record ECG data in real time.A team of researchers at the University of Pittsburgh is breaking new ground by developing a cell phone–based device that will not only collect the ECG data but also analyze it to detect cardiac abnormalities or possible cardiovascular conditions. In addition, if a sudden serious condition arises, the device will automatically notify the patient’s cardiologist and emergency contact and call 911. Such a device could save lives by spotting previously undetected conditions and by reducing the time it takes to get treatment in an emergency.
The project—called HeartToGo—is headed by Allen C. Cheng, Ph.D., director of the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Advanced Computing Technology. Microsoft Research is supporting the project with cash, software, and hardware.
“The key question is how to migrate the big and bulky ECG machines that hospitals use into something that people can wear around,” states Cheng, an assistant professor in the departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Neurological Surgery, and Computer Science at the university.
Aside from the advantages of portability, Cheng asserts that the cell phone–based system will be far less expensive than existing hospital machines. This is particularly important for low-income and middle-income countries where, according to the World Health Organization, more than 80 percent of deaths related to cardiovascular disease occur.
Cheng observes that advances in wireless technology as well as in cell phones and smart phones are opening all sorts of doors in biomedical computing. “If you look at the higher end cell phones of today, they’re just as powerful as a laptop from five years ago,” he notes. “So there are a lot of opportunities to develop new uses for them.” This is especially true in developing countries, where cell phones are far more common than other forms of modern technology.
Cardiovascular disease is most often diagnosed when a person is already experiencing symptoms such as chest pains or shortness of breath or goes in for a regular medical examination. Frequently, the condition goes undetected until the person suffers a heart attack or stroke.
Cheng says that a major shortcoming in conventional diagnostic techniques is that an ECG exam gives the physician only a snapshot of the patient’s health. This makes it difficult to identify symptoms that are intermittent. Cheng’s team has developed a prototype HeartToGo system that combines off-the-shelf technologies, including a wireless ECG sensor with a built-in three-axis accelerometer and a global positioning system (GPS) device. The ECG sensor, usually worn on a chest strap, and the GPS, worn on a belt, transmit data via Bluetooth to a smart phone that runs Windows Mobile. The system collects and displays ECG data and measures the user’s speed of physical motion, all in real time.
Extending the Device's Capabilities: A Holistic Mobile Solution
The next step will be to develop software that enables the smart phone to analyze the extracted ECG data and produce detailed heart function reports similar to those generated by conventional ECG machines.
Allen C. Cheng, director, Center for Advanced Computing TechnologyWhat will really set this device apart from other walkaround ECG devices is this: Cheng’s team plans to develop a system that enables HeartToGo to benchmark against an individual’s physiological conditions, learn heart rate patterns, and adapt to the person’s level of physical activity. This will be accomplished by using an artificial neural network—a computational model based on neural networks in the brain—and other biologically inspired, self-adaptive machine learning techniques.
HeartToGo’s diagnostic software will enable the system to take the ECG summary information and search for signs of cardiovascular disease. Combining that information with the user’s demographic profile, as well as personal and family medical history, will enable HeartToGo to generate a comprehensive and easy-to-read cardiovascular health assessment, says Cheng.
“We are trying to emulate what the physician would do,” explains Cheng. “We are not trying to bypass or replace the physicians. Our goal is to provide them with a better technology so accurate diagnosis can be made faster and easier.”
HeartToGo will also allow people with known cardiovascular problems to monitor their heart function continuously. HeartToGo users will be able to record an emergency message—in voice and text—that includes their name, address and phone number. If the person suffers a heart attack or other sudden cardiac problem, the device will automatically contact 911 and the user’s cardiologist and emergency contact and then play the prerecorded message. It will also transmit ECG data and use the GPS to give the person’s location.
Once the HeartToGo prototype device and software are complete, Cheng plans to enlist cardiologists to help oversee field testing. He then plans to publish the team’s research findings and make the design and software available—free of charge—on a dedicated Web site.
“If this project is successful, HeartToGo will provide an unprecedented holistic mobile solution for people with cardiovascular disease and those at risk,” says Cheng.
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An External Research-funded project supporting advanced technology research |
Project Principal
Allen C. Cheng, Ph.D., director of the Center for Advanced Computing Technology (ACT) at the University of Pittsburgh
