AliveCor Inc. has made it easier to cardiac patients to monitor their heart rhythm. The company has unveiled a new heart monitor that attaches to any compatible smartphone or smartphone case.
The firm's new universal design includes the proprietary AliveCor ultrasound technology that enables a clinical-quality ECG recording of the heart’s activity, while minimizing battery drain. The compact design is easy to install and is transferable among various mobile devices. Executives describe the new monitor iteration as "clinically accurate, simple, and powerful."
“We have extended the benefits of our mobile ECG technology to a new range of smartphones, significantly expanding customer access,” said Euan Thomson, CEO and President of AliveCor. “The AliveCor Heart Monitor is small, versatile, uses very little battery power, and can be used any time in almost any location.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration-cleared Heart Monitor attaches directly to the back of the mobile device or its case with the universal attachment plate. Current Android devices supported are the Samsung Galaxy S3, S4, and HTC One. Apple devices supported are the iPhone 4, 4S, and 5 and iPod touch 5. For those that prefer the Heart Monitor as a case, AliveCor offers cases for the Galaxy S4 and for the iPhone 4, 4S, and 5.
“From its early days, I’ve studied and published peer-reviewed research on the AliveCor device,” said Dr. Leslie Saxon, chief of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, and executive director of the USC Center for Body Computing, a digital health research and innovation center. “I think it is one of the more important technologies in recent years that enables large scale healthcare awareness and literacy.”
The Heart Monitor is available for purchase in the United States to medical professionals and patients with prescriptions.Privately held AliveCor is headquartered in San Francisco, Calif.