It has long been recognized that chronic stress is detrimental to overall health and plays a significant role in many diseases. Unfortunately, stress is difficult to quantify, and devices that can measure stress do not provide output in a manner that is relevant to the user. Moreover, these current devices rely on measurements of a single parameter. What is needed is a comprehensive device that can take measurements of multiple parameters to give a more complete determination of stress, and subsequently health.
Researchers at Arizona State University have developed a novel noninvasive biological stress sensing device which utilizes measurements of multiple parameters including heart rate variability (HRV), biological impedance analysis (BIA), surface and core temperatures, muscle twitch, and respiratory rate. All of these parameters are indicators of some level of stress, and taken together, can provide for a more accurate and quantitative analysis of total body stress levels.
This device provides simple and meaningful outputs to quantify stress and inform the user when intervention is recommended. Because multiple parameters are measured simultaneously and the results are output in a simple and easy-to-understand manner, this device could allow for continuous real-time monitoring of stress and provide a better understanding and awareness of the general health of the user.
Potential Applications
- Monitoring of multiple parameters of stress for:
- Predicting increased risk for diabetic autonomic neuropathy, hypertension, myocardial infarction, future heart failure, all cause mortality, etc.
- Critical care transport – assessing patient’s medical condition during transport
- 1st Responder use – assessing patient’s initial medical condition and immediate medical needs
- Fire fighters/Miliary use – monitoring of user’s health to ensure proper personal safety, altertness and efficacy while on duty
Benefits and Advantages
- Ease of use – single portable device
- More comprehensive analysis – via real-time, continuous, multi-parameter measurements
- Intuitive output
- Noninvasive
For more information about the inventor(s) and their research, please see
Dr. La Belle’s laboratory webpage