Rockley Photonics Holdings Limited announced that the company has successfully completed the first stage of its human studies examining the measurement of blood pressure using Rockley's biomarker sensing platform. In this pilot study, Rockley researchers have demonstrated that a photonics-based sensor worn on the wrist can measure blood pressure non-invasively. Instead of applying a blood pressure cuff, which can be awkward or inconvenient and cause discomfort for some, Rockley's wearable wrist-worn solution has the potential to provide hassle-free, clinical-grade data about key cardiovascular indicators.

The Rockley blood pressure sensing device used in the study features a uniquelaser-based approach and advanced algorithms employing Rockley's cloud and AI capabilities. The signals produced by the Rockley sensor were compared directly with signals produced at the same time and location by an off-the-shelf photoplethysmography (PPG) module, which employs green light-emitting diodes (LED) and is the technology employed by most wearables on the market now, often with the aid of a blood pressure cuff for calibration. The signals from the Rockley sensor were shown to provide stronger correlation with the control blood pressure readings from a cuff than standard green-LED PPG signals.

In addition to demonstrating blood pressure measurement, the study showed that Rockley's wrist-based sensing platform produces a strong correlation of heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) measurement with results from commonly used electrocardiogram (ECG) equipment.