A "super-sensitive" radar technology that can be installed in places where people typically sit offers an unobtrusive way to monitor heartbeats and detect potential heart problems before they become life-threatening.

This compact radar device, created by researchers at the University of Waterloo (Waterloo, ON, Canada), could be embedded in everyday objects such as car seats, couches, and office chairs, providing not just support but also health protection by functioning as an early warning system. If adopted on a large scale, this technology could have significant life-saving potential. At its core, the system uses a "super-sensitive motion detector" capable of detecting the subtle chest movements caused by a beating heart. A small, cellphone-sized radar unit attached behind a seat emits radar waves that spread out and bounce back from the person’s body, picking up minute chest movements. These movements are then analyzed by an advanced computer algorithm enhanced by artificial intelligence (AI).

Unlike wearable devices that require charging and need to be worn, this radar technology operates continuously in the background. It can monitor heart activity, stress levels, fatigue, and potential cardiac risks whether the person is driving, watching TV, or sitting at a desk. The data collected by the radar is converted into a heartbeat profile, or signature—typically characterized by two peaks followed by a valley for a healthy heart. Any deviations from this normal pattern are flagged for further investigation. One key measurement of interest is the corrected QTc interval, which tracks the time it takes for the heart to reset between beats. A prolonged QTc interval can indicate an elevated risk for severe cardiac events, such as heart attacks.

The system produces results in just a few minutes, with accuracy comparable to a medical-grade electrocardiogram (ECG), according to a study published in Nature Scientific Reports. Additionally, it can monitor heart-rate variability (HRV) with millisecond precision, another critical indicator of heart health. The system’s effectiveness lies in its specialized hardware and custom algorithm that filters out "noise" caused by breathing and other body movements to focus on clear heart signals. The research team is now working on further integrating AI to enhance the system’s predictive capabilities and plans to expand testing to subjects with various cardiovascular conditions. Efforts to commercialize the technology are also underway.

“Healthy people have a specific heartbeat signature. But in people with prolonged QTc, this pattern changes. By picking up on this shift, our system can act as an early warning tool for cardiac risks,” said Dr. George Shaker. “Radar sensors preserve privacy and are small, scalable and cost-efficient. As production ramps up, this could become a standard feature in smart homes and vehicles, as commonplace as seatbelts or airbag sensors.” 

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