A research team from Seoul National University, working with Carnegie Mellon University, has created a wearable device that sticks to the skin like a bandage and measures blood pressure continuously in real time.
Unlike the bulky cuff-based monitors most people are familiar with, this flexible electronic patch offers a comfortable, convenient, and highly accurate way to track blood pressure throughout the day.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects an estimated 1.3 billion people worldwide, yet only about 21% manage it effectively.
Traditional cuff monitors can only take one reading at a time and are often uncomfortable for long-term use.
They also have limitations—improper positioning or stress during measurement can lead to inaccurate results. Because of this, doctors often miss subtle, moment-to-moment changes in blood pressure that could be important for early detection and prevention of heart disease.
The new patch works on a different principle.
Every time the heart beats, it sends out two types of signals: electrical signals, detected almost instantly at the wrist, and mechanical signals, caused by the push of blood, which take slightly longer to arrive.
The time difference between these signals changes depending on blood pressure.
Higher blood pressure means the blood moves faster, shortening the time gap; lower blood pressure slows it down.
By measuring these tiny differences, the patch can calculate both systolic and diastolic blood pressure continuously.
To make this technology practical, the team needed a material that could stick comfortably to skin, stretch easily, and still conduct electricity well.
They chose liquid metal, which stays in liquid form at room temperature and has skin-like elasticity. However, liquid metal is tricky to work with—it has high surface tension, making it difficult to shape into fine, precise circuits.
The breakthrough came with a method called laser sintering. By using a laser to heat and fuse tiny liquid metal particles together, the researchers could “draw” circuits exactly where needed, without using additional chemicals.
This process produced a patch that is flexible, highly conductive, and durable—it can stretch up to seven times its original length and survive more than 10,000 stretches without losing performance.
The device proved its accuracy in experiments, even outperforming traditional cuff monitors in tracking rapid blood pressure changes before and after exercise. It also measures heart rate and electrocardiograms, opening the door to multiple health applications.
Professor Seung Hwan Ko, who led the study, says the technology challenges the idea that blood pressure only needs to be measured once a day.
Instead, people could track their readings anytime, anywhere—whether managing chronic hypertension, monitoring recovery after exercise, or receiving tailored fitness advice. The patch could also be built into smartwatches, medical patches, or even breathable clothing.
In the future, the team plans to make the device even more practical by adding wireless communication, integrating it with different materials, and using AI to analyze the collected data.
Their goal is to move health monitoring out of hospitals and into everyday life, helping people detect problems earlier and manage their health more effectively.
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