A compact ECG chip for smartwatches and bracelets, capable of real-time heart monitoring, has been developed in Russia. While the technology is still in its early stages and lags behind solutions from Apple and Samsung, it is seen as a step towards the development of domestic wearable devices.
The development was presented by scientists from St. Petersburg's Research Institute of Design and Technology of Biotechnical Systems at SPbGETU "LETI". It is a compact, low-power OEM module that currently has no analogues on the Russian market.
The chip is designed for online registration of electrocardiogram signals (ECS). It can be integrated into smartwatches, fitness trackers, pendants, and even car steering wheels — to monitor the driver's heart condition.
According to the developers, the technology is important for advancing technological sovereignty in medicine and creating future devices. The institute notes that the goal of the work is to reduce the cost of such modules while maintaining accuracy at the level of global analogues.
The developers have conducted laboratory tests and filed a patent application.
However, experts note that widespread application of the technology is still a long way off. Anna Kotlova, head of SafeTech, considers the development an important step but emphasizes the need to confirm characteristics and launch mass production.
According to her, there is a significant gap between a laboratory prototype and industrial production of tens of thousands of devices.
Doctors and industry specialists also point out that current solutions from Apple and Samsung still surpass the new development in terms of clinical validation and processing large datasets.
According to analysts, Russians are increasingly buying more expensive smartwatches. The average price of devices has grown by 10% and reached 7.8 thousand rubles. Among the most popular models are Apple Watch Series 11, Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 LTE, Apple Watch SE 3, and Huawei Watch GT 6.
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