A Cornell University doctoral student is starting a company based on wireless-based technology that can detect heart and respiratory problems without patients having to wear bulky monitors or skin electrodes. SensVita was developed by electrical engineer Thomas Conroy and uses short-range radio frequency sensing.
“There are a lot of diseases that affect both the heart and respiratory systems,” says Conroy, who founded the company with his father, James, who has experience in the medical device industry. “And another big advantage of our product is that it’s passive and unobtrusive.”
The device could be particularly useful for patients with geriatric heart failure and other serious illnesses, Conroy said. Seventy-five percent of these patients' medical costs are due to repeated hospitalizations, but with a system to monitor their progress at home, doctors can change medication routines or offer other treatments before more severe symptoms occur. He said it could be prescribed.
Thomas Conroy holds a prototype sensor that uses wireless-based technology to detect health problems.
His sensors can be placed anywhere near a patient, on clothing or even nearby furniture, and are smaller than a credit card. Conroy conducted his doctoral research with Edwin Kang, professor of electrical and computer engineering in the School of Engineering, and his lab patented the sensing technology in 2018. Conroy was awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship in 2019 to support his research. I'm studying for a Ph.D.
Conroy said the technology will explore various avenues for commercialization because it has multiple uses for both human and animal health. Developing a device for human use requires FDA approval, so the process takes time, but veterinary applications could be quicker, he said.
Conroy's prototype is already being tested at Weill Cornell University for non-invasive monitoring of conditions such as sleep apnea and COPD, and further studies focusing on various heart conditions are planned in the future. Masu. He is also applying for funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. Mr. Conroy will also receive National Science Foundation iCorps training at Cornell University in 2023 and is advised by Nancy Allman of Blackstone Launchpad and staff at Cornell University's Venture Development Praxis Center.
Mr. Conroy is also applying for an Ignite Fellowship at the Cornell University Technology Licensing Center. This allows you to stay on campus for one year after graduation to conduct research or work in a company.
“Cornell University has a lot of resources for people who want to start a business,” he said.
