"Challenging the Global Market with a Wrist-Worn Miniature Blood Pressure Monitor"

Medical Device Venture Company Chamcare Introduces Wrist-Worn Wearable Blood Pressure Monitor
"Inspired by Korean Medicine Doctors' Wrist Pulse Diagnosis, Developed Ultra-Compact Device After 10 Years of Research"
26 Patents Registered Domestically and Internationally... Diverse R&D Supported by Korea Industrial Complex Corporation

Lee Dong-hwa, CEO of Chamcare, is wearing a wrist-type wearable blood pressure monitor and posing for a commemorative photo.

Employees of Chamcare, a medical device venture company located in the Seoul Digital National Industrial Complex (G-Valley) in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul, had an exceptionally busy time earlier this year. This was because they had to deliver 500,000 units by last month after signing a supply contract for ultra-small oxygen saturation monitors with the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The agency distributed Chamcare’s oxygen saturation monitors for home treatment of COVID-19 patients. Chamcare was the only domestic company capable of producing oxygen saturation monitors small enough for patients to use at home, marking a significant achievement.

Chamcare is preparing to launch an ultra-small wrist-worn blood pressure monitor as its next-generation growth item. Since its founding in 2004, the company has consistently focused on oxygen saturation measurement technology to develop products, and it has also steadily conducted research and development (R&D) on blood pressure monitors for over 10 years. We visited Chamcare on the 14th, just before the release of their ‘wrist-type wearable blood pressure monitor.’

Lee Dong-hwa, CEO of Chamcare, said, "Through research over the past 10 years, we have developed the smallest blood pressure monitor approved to date," adding, "Mass production of the upgraded new product will begin this month." According to Chamcare, conventional blood pressure monitors measure blood pressure based on waveforms generated by applying pressure to the artery, which requires force pressing on muscles, inevitably making the devices bulky. CEO Lee took inspiration from the method used by traditional Korean medicine doctors who check the pulse on the wrist. He explained, "Because the signal is captured from the artery in the wrist, it does not require much force. However, two arterial signals are detected at the wrist, causing errors, but after R&D, we developed a method to block one and measure only the other." The blood pressure data measured frequently in this way is automatically stored on a server.

Chamcare literally invested 10 years to develop this blood pressure monitor. CEO Lee, who accumulated over 10 years of experience at the medical device company Medison before founding Chamcare, began R&D on blood pressure monitors after initially specializing only in oxygen saturation due to his own high blood pressure. He said, "I wanted to measure my blood pressure frequently, but there was no small device available, which was frustrating," adding, "I started R&D for miniaturizing blood pressure monitors 10 years ago after filing related patents." After the patent and development process, the product was introduced through crowdfunding in 2014, but technical challenges remained. Although medical device approval was obtained in 2017, mass production was only possible in 2020 due to lack of funds. Since then, the product has been upgraded based on market feedback, leading to mass production this month, CEO Lee explained.

During the more than 10 years of R&D, Chamcare registered 26 patents related to blood pressure monitors domestically and internationally. Continuous technological development has resulted in 23 patent applications currently pending. Support from the Korea Industrial Complex Corporation was also helpful during this process. Chamcare, part of the Biohealth Mini Cluster (MC) within the Seoul Digital National Industrial Complex, has achieved results through various R&D and technology commercialization efforts. Notable developments include a blood pressure monitoring band that corrects motion errors and an automatic electronic blood pressure monitor for the upper arm that reduces measurement time by more than 60%. Support was also provided for global patent applications. Lee Haeng-man, head of the Seoul Regional Headquarters of the Industrial Complex Corporation, said, "Digital transformation of medical devices is accelerating around the Seoul Digital National Industrial Complex," adding, "We will do our best to make G-Valley a growth hub for convergent medical device industries."

Chamcare’s blood pressure monitor has gained more attention after the Korean Society of Hypertension stated last year that the blood pressure measurement method used in smartwatches by large companies, which rely on optical sensors, had not been verified for accuracy. The company’s technology has been recognized globally, winning awards at major events such as CES, the world’s largest electronics and IT exhibition. Chamcare is optimistic about its potential not only in the domestic market but also globally. CEO Lee emphasized, "There are an estimated one million patients with severe hypertension in South Korea and 150 million worldwide who need frequent blood pressure monitoring, so the market is substantial."

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