Smart bra aims to better detect and prevent heart disease in women
When Alicia Chong Rodriguez was an electrical engineering and computer science student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), she became immersed in the use of large-scale systems and computational datasets for cardiovascular research. She quickly realized how data had the power to personalize and transform healthcare, but she realized that much of the data she and other students had access to lacked women's data. I noticed that.
As Chong-Rodriguez pored over the resources, she wondered, “How can we collect faster, better quality, and higher resolution data from women?” And how can that data be used to help detect, diagnose, and prevent heart disease? These questions inspired her and fellow MIT alum Achille Halaby, the 2017 Bloomer Her. Founded a tech company. Through their startup, they've spent the past few years designing and testing medical devices to do just that.
“It's a device that looks and feels like a bra,” Chong-Rodriguez said.
The patented fiber-based sensor, which is still under research, is being integrated into the bra band. There they receive information about the woman's heart, lungs, hormones and metabolism. This information is transmitted via Bluetooth technology to a digital journal on the woman's mobile phone. That way, she will be able to track her heart's activity and share that information with her doctor to spot abnormalities and manage treatment.
“When it comes to the heart, time is of the essence,” Chong-Rodriguez said. “We want to live in a world where we have data when we need it most.
At least 25 prototypes of “smart bras” are being tested. This includes wireless bras, sports bras, maternity bras, post-surgery bras, and tank tops for sleeping. Chong Rodriguez's goal is to create bras for women of all shapes, sizes, and ages with all kinds of heart-related concerns. . Some women may need a device to monitor atrial fibrillation or the increased risk of pregnancy-related heart disease. Some people may need it to recover from heart failure, a heart attack, or heart surgery.
In 2023, the company received an award from NHLBI's Small Business Innovation Program (SBIR) to support Phase 2 research into this technology. This year, we won the American College of Cardiology Annual Meeting (ACC.24) Innovation Pitch Challenge.
Dr. Stephen F. Frame, Non-Federal Senior Special Counsel and Resident Investor in NHLBI's Office of Innovation and Commercialization (I&C), said this recognition is well-deserved. This device is not only designed by and for women, who make up half of the population. It's also practical.
Smart bras could also help get more women involved in research. A clinical research trial supported by NHLBI SBIR will soon evaluate whether the device can help more women complete cardiac rehabilitation after a major event, such as heart surgery.
Throughout future commercialization plans, Chong-Rodriguez and colleagues are receiving support from SBIR's I&C. The office helps companies like Bloomer Tech participate in events such as ACC.24, which can lead to new partnerships and investors. “In clinical trials, you can go from the bench to the bedside, but you have to go from the bench to the boardroom,” Fraim explained. “That’s what we believe in and what we strive to help businesses do.”
Before these devices can be made available to women, the company must submit its technology for review and receive approval from the Food and Drug Administration.
In theory, Chong-Rodriguez envisions that once the device is ready to hit the market, bras could become part of the daily lives of women with heart problems. A possible scenario is if a person has had a heart attack and notices new symptoms, such as an increased heart rate, several months later. They can use digital journals to check for patterns and share that information with their doctors. This could help answer the important question: Should you stick with your plans or stay close to home? Which symptoms are benign? Which require immediate treatment? Real-time answers could eliminate long wait times between consultations, imaging tests, and test results, leading to a better quality of life for women. There is a possibility.
The Bloomer Tech team is also investigating how the technology can collect additional data on factors that can influence cardiovascular function, such as menstrual cycles in premenopausal women. Chong Rodriguez said this type of feedback could support cardiac care and complement information collected through research studies. For those who don't live near a medical center or study location, this device makes it even more possible to provide feedback.
“The important thing is to meet women where they are,” Julia said. Dr. Berzhanskaya is Program Director and Head of Innovation Support Services in the I&C Office. “Future devices like this could give patients ownership of their data and allow them to seek a path forward in treatment and disease management.”
Looking back at MIT's early days, Chong-Rodriguez said this type of innovation was always her goal. Her mission was to find a way to design innovative and accessible technologies that could improve women's health while advancing cardiovascular research.
“We wanted to do something different,” Chon Rodriguez said. “I look forward to being a part of a future where everyone has access to better health care.”
resource:
To learn about women's heart health, visit https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/education-and-awareness/heart-truth.
For more information about NHLBI's Small Business Innovation Program, visit https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/grants-and-training/funding-opportunities-and-contacts/small-business-program.
