Healthcare technology company Aktiia has made a significant advancement with its calibration-free technology CALFREE, which has been granted the CE mark in Europe. This groundbreaking technology allows for the collection of blood pressure data using optical sensors commonly found in smartwatches and commercial smartphone cameras.
With the approval of Aktiia’s CALFREE technology, the company can now integrate its medical-grade optical blood pressure monitoring into consumer devices developed by third-party companies, including smartwatches, smartphone cameras, and smart bands.
Dr. Josep Sola, CTO and co-founder of Aktiia, expressed his enthusiasm about the accomplishment, stating that the technology has the potential to transform any smartwatch or smartphone into a medical-grade blood pressure monitor. He believes that this milestone will have significant implications for the wearable and mobile industry, as it enables large-scale optical blood pressure monitoring, as well as public health, by facilitating widespread hypertension diagnosis and management campaigns.
Established in 2018 as a spinout of CSEM, Aktiia, a Swiss company, offers a wrist-worn optical blood pressure monitoring device that continuously analyzes blood pressure, heart rate, activity, and sleep patterns. In 2021, the company introduced its 24/7 automated blood pressure monitoring system after receiving the CE mark. However, the previous system required monthly calibration, whereas the new CALFREE technology eliminates the need for calibration.
Users of Aktiia’s monitoring system can access insightful data and visualize their readings through the company’s mobile app. Furthermore, Aktiia has leveraged the datasets collected from over 70,000 users to develop extensive foundation models of blood pressure, enhancing the collective understanding of this vital health indicator.
In addition to its technological advancements, Aktiia has demonstrated impressive growth in terms of funding. In February, the company completed a CHF 27 million ($30 million) funding round, following previous success in securing $6.1 million and $17.5 million in funding in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
This achievement represents a major leap forward in the field of optical blood pressure monitoring and positions Aktiia as a pioneer in the development of innovative healthcare technologies. The CE mark for CALFREE technology underscores the company’s commitment to providing accessible and reliable solutions for monitoring blood pressure and improving public health.