A new radar device, developed by Dr. George Shaker and his research team at the University of Waterloo, could help detect serious heart problems before they become life-threatening.
This small but powerful device can be installed in cars, couches, and office chairs, monitoring heart activity without needing to be worn like a smartwatch or fitness tracker.
Dr. Shaker, an engineer who has studied radio waves for over 20 years, believes this silent and unobtrusive system could revolutionize heart health monitoring.
“Imagine if your chair or car seat could detect early signs of heart problems and warn you in time,” he said. “This technology has the potential to save many lives.”
The device, about the size of a cellphone, is attached behind a seat. It sends out radar waves that bounce off a person’s body, detecting tiny chest movements caused by heartbeats.
A computer algorithm powered by artificial intelligence (AI) then analyzes these movements, creating a heartbeat signature—a pattern of peaks and valleys that indicate normal heart function.
One of the most important heart health indicators the system can measure is the corrected QTc interval—the time it takes the heart to reset between beats.
If this interval is too long, it can signal a higher risk of heart attacks and other serious cardiac events.
“Healthy people have a specific heartbeat pattern,” explained Dr. Shaker. “But in people at risk, this pattern changes. Our system can detect these changes early, acting as a warning tool for potential heart issues.”
The radar device can also track heart-rate variability (HRV), another key measure of heart health, with millisecond precision. It provides results in just a few minutes and has accuracy similar to a medical-grade electrocardiogram (ECG).
Unlike wearable devices, which must be charged and worn regularly, this radar system works in the background, automatically monitoring heart health while a person is driving, working, or relaxing at home.
Dr. Shaker and his team, including experts in engineering, public health, and mathematics, have created custom hardware and AI-powered algorithms to filter out distractions like breathing movements, ensuring clear heart signal readings.
The researchers are now improving AI integration to make the system even smarter and expanding testing on patients with different heart conditions. They also plan to commercialize the technology, making it available for everyday use.
“In the future, these radar sensors could become as common as seatbelts or airbags,” said Dr. Shaker.
With privacy-friendly, small, and cost-efficient technology, this smart radar device could soon be a standard feature in smart homes, offices, and vehicles, helping millions monitor their heart health effortlessly.
