'Ring' for 24-Hour Heart Monitoring Released (Comprehensive)

Skylabs Launches 'Cart-One', World's First Ring-Shaped Wearable Cardiac Monitoring Medical Device
Enables ECG Measurement and Continuous Irregular Pulse Monitoring for Atrial Fibrillation Patients

At a press conference held on the 5th at Ferrum Tower in Seoul, Lee Byung-hwan, CEO of Skylabs, explained the ring-shaped heart monitoring device 'Cart-One'.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Cheol-hyun] A domestic healthcare startup has introduced a ring-shaped medical device that monitors the heart 24 hours a day. Simply wearing it on the finger allows automatic continuous measurement of irregular pulse, which is expected to contribute to the prevention of related diseases. Skylabs (CEO Lee Byung-hwan) held a press conference at Ferrum Tower in Seoul on the 5th and announced the launch of the ring-type heart monitoring device 'Cart-One.' This device, which detects atrial fibrillation, a type of arrhythmia, received medical device approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in May.

Existing atrial fibrillation detection devices were uncomfortable to wear, making long-term use difficult, or required separate operations for continuous data collection. Moreover, most electrocardiogram (ECG) devices are large and complex, requiring a diagnostician for data analysis, thus necessitating hospital visits. Detecting arrhythmia through intermittent ECG monitoring was also challenging.

According to Skylabs, 'Cart-One' measures irregular pulse in atrial fibrillation patients using an optical sensor in addition to conventional ECG measurement functions. It is very light, weighing between 3.75g and 4.79g, and has strong dustproof and waterproof performance, allowing comfortable wear during daily activities. It uses a wireless charging method based on magnetic induction, taking about 2 hours for a full charge, and can be used for more than 48 hours on a single charge. This means the ring can automatically detect diseases continuously 24/7, 365 days a year during daily life.

Notably, the accuracy of atrial fibrillation detection is remarkable. Clinical research results showed an accuracy of up to 99%. This accuracy was verified through over two years of clinical research with the Department of Cardiology at Seoul National University Hospital. Professor Choi Ui-geun's research team at Seoul National University Hospital received the 'Young Investigator Award' for the first time in Korea at the 40th Annual Scientific Sessions of the Heart Rhythm Society in May last year for clinical research diagnosing atrial fibrillation using Cart. They also participated in the digital health category at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), winning first place for two consecutive years, demonstrating its potential as a global medical device.

User data measured by this device can be easily checked in real-time through a smartphone application (app). The data is stored on a cloud server, allowing users to track, analyze, and manage records over desired periods. CEO Lee Byung-hwan of Skylabs expects that 1.2 petabytes (PB) of medical data will be accumulated by next year. This vast data can be utilized not only for prevention and improving treatment effectiveness but also in various fields such as new drug clinical research and insurance.

Based on long-term data analysis, it is expected to be effective for early diagnosis of heart diseases. It can also be used for guiding patients to visit hospitals. Under current medical law, doctors are allowed to guide patients to visit based on data measured through wearable devices, enabling remote medical care. Skylabs explained that pre-orders and collaboration inquiries are continuing domestically as well as overseas with the launch of 'Cart-One.'

In particular, expansion to other disease management devices beyond arrhythmia is possible. Initially, it was released with ECG measurement capability, allowing users to measure by touching the ring with their finger whenever desired. In the future, new disease monitoring functions can be added through software updates without hardware changes. Skylabs is developing diagnostic technologies for heart failure, hypertension, sleep apnea, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease through clinical research. They also plan to expand functions to other disease management devices, including respiratory diseases such as coronavirus. CEO Lee said, "Next year, we will introduce monitoring and diagnostic functions for more diseases, including products related to respiratory diseases."

'Cart-One' is entirely manufactured domestically and is priced at about 400,000 KRW. It is scheduled to obtain the European integrated safety certification this month and is preparing for U.S. FDA approval. CEO Lee said, "Various types of wearable ECG devices have been released so far, but Cart-One is the world's first ring-type device capable of long-term continuous measurement. It minimizes discomfort in wearing and enhances convenience in data collection," adding, "We hope Cart-One will contribute as a remote monitoring medical device in non-face-to-face medical care, whose importance has increased due to COVID-19."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.