VitalTracer: Bringing Smartwatches to the Next Level

Keeping track of the time with a watch on our wrists is an age-old concept. Once cell phones became commonplace, society moved to check the time on their phones instead. Then came the innovation to bring our smartphones to our wrist- the birth of smartwatches. Not only can smartwatches allow us to see our messages, change the song being listened to, and answer a phone call, they also have extended medical and wellness use in tracking of body vitals like heart rate and steps. They became beneficial for exercise situations, which led to devices like the Fitbit. Azadeh Dastmalchi saw an opportunity with this industry and is pushing the envelope of smartwatches with her company- VitalTracer. We are proud to announce that WIMTACH is currently collaborating with Azadeh and her team at VitalTracer on a new project.

VitalTracer is dedicated to providing a platform where its technology reduces the risks of cardiovascular diseases through constant monitoring and continuous tracking of all critical signs. Their VTLAB device is a medical smartwatch that monitors blood pressure, SP02, body temperature, PPG, ECG, heart rate, and the step count of its wearer. We had a chance to speak with Azadeh about her company, wearable technology, and her time working with WIMTACH.

Azadeh first heard about WIMTACH by an introduction from a business advisor at the Ontario Centre of Excellence (OCE). She learned what WIMTACH had to offer for her business, and in 2019, she started working with WIMTACH. “It’s a very good opportunity for our company to get help from experts for a very good cost,” she stated in regards to why she wanted to work with us. “WIMTACH is very helpful with us at VitalTracer. They are helping us accomplish the mission we have set out, and complete the journey we are on,” she shared. 

When asked about the creation of the device, she shared that she was inspired by her late father, who was diagnosed with Hypertension (high blood pressure). “He was required to take prescribed medication and check his blood pressure multiple times a day. He sometimes would miss days where these things needed to be done, and since I was not living at home with him, I had to keep following up as his caregiver,” she shared. She wanted a solution for her father that would help him keep track of his health. Azadeh completed her Master’s at the University of Ottawa and used the situation with her father as research. This innovation became VitalTracer, a device created for people, like her father, to monitor their vital signs easily. Azadeh stated, “This product will provide consumers with peace of mind regarding their loved ones’ health. The device can reduce Emergency Room (ER) visits as it can predict strokes and heart failures. This in turn would also save consumers money due to less visits to the hospital.” VitalTracer devices are currently being used in hospital clinical trials, and they are looking for approval from Health Canada for the next steps in their product rollout.

Azadeh and VitalTracer have plans to implement their smartwatch software into current smartwatches on the market. “The technology of the hardware is there with other watches, but the uniqueness of our algorithm is what needs to be combined with existing watches. It is in our business strategy that will be tackled at a later time,” she shared. The watches also have positive usage for the Covid-19 pandemic, as they can track vital signs for senior patients. Azadeh spoke about tracking patients’ oxygen levels at senior homes. The watches can detect these levels for caregivers to detect the early stages of Covid-19 infection and allow caregivers to get their patients tested accordingly for the virus.

The future is looking very bright for VitalTracer. Along with completing this current project, they are currently filing applications of patents for their sensors and algorithms for their smartwatches. They are also speaking with Health Canada for other applications to push their company further in clinical trials and start their commercialization phase. “My dream is to have our watch on the wrists of every person, to predict and prevent another pandemic. We are starting in Canada, and will eventually reach the whole world,” Azadeh stated when asked about the future of VitalTracer.

Azadeh had some positive words to share about WIMTACH regarding this recent collaboration. “I love it. WIMTACH is the left arm of VitalTracer and their knowledge is very deep and insightful. Every meeting with WIMTACH so far has me excited to see the progress and results of our current project with them.” She hopes for continuous support from WIMTACH and the government to help her complete her mission.

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