Heart research pumping after $2.3m boost
The Heart Foundation has awarded $2.32 million to University of Auckland researchers for projects aimed at improving heart health. Innovations include a smartphone-based diagnostic tool and research into drug alternatives for pacemakers.
Why it matters
Advancements in non-invasive diagnostics and pharmaceutical alternatives could significantly reduce healthcare costs and improve patient outcomes.
University of Auckland projects aiming to improve heart health have received a total of $2.32 million from the Heart Foundation.
The funding supports eight research projects and provides $13,500 for summer studies.
Biomedical engineer Dr Prashanna Khwaounjoo is investigating whether smartphone videos of a person’s neck could help detect serious heart problems.
Khwaounjoo is trialling a non-invasive, smartphone-based heart diagnostic tool that captures tiny movements in the skin of the neck caused by blood flow. An algorithm then analyses these movements to assess the pulse signal.
“Our algorithm can track skin movement down to the micron level – movements you can’t really see with the eye. Instead of guesswork, we’re using a smartphone camera to record the movement and an algorithm to track it,” he says.
Khwaounjoo received a fellowship and a grant of $139,300 from the Heart Foundation to develop the tool.
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