TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Ostar Meditech Co. on Tuesday unveiled the second generation of its artificial intelligence heart monitor, a small device that can alert users to potential heart problems.
The fingertip-sized monitor, weighing 40 grams, tracks a user’s heartbeat and flags unusual patterns that could signal a stroke or heart attack. Alerts appear in about 15 seconds.
A clinical trial at two Taipei teaching hospitals tested 401 participants aged 20 to 99 between June 2023 and June 2024. The device matched standard 12-lead electrocardiogram readings with 96.8% accuracy.
The device continuously records heartbeat patterns and sends the data to a mobile app, which classifies results as normal, irregular or suspected atrial fibrillation. This allows users and medical personnel to monitor heart health over time.
Neurosurgeon Kao Ming-chien (高明見) said early detection is crucial to preventing stroke. Irregular heartbeats, particularly a condition called atrial fibrillation, are a major risk factor, contributing to roughly 20% of ischemic strokes.
Atrial fibrillation often occurs alongside other chronic conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes or blocked blood vessels. Research published in 2022 found that up to 25% of atrial fibrillation cases show no symptoms and are only discovered after serious complications such as stroke, limb problems or heart failure, according to Care Online.
Since atrial fibrillation can come and go, a single electrocardiogram may miss it. Continuous monitoring for 24 hours or longer, sometimes up to 7 or 14 days, is often needed.
Devices like Ostar’s, which record heartbeat patterns continuously, can help detect irregularities earlier. The company plans to expand its use to senior-care programs, rural clinics, chronic-disease management services and smart-city health networks.
Chang Kuo-yuan (張國源), Ostar’s founder, said wider adoption could help reduce sudden deaths from heart attacks and strokes, with Singapore exploring its use. “This can become Taiwan’s significant contribution to global AI-driven healthcare,” he said.
