Finnish firms develop ECG necklace

  • June 2, 2020
  • Steve Rogerson

Heart2Save and Lumoava, both from Finland, have combine their expertise to develop a medical device – an ECG-necklace – the AiVoni Lumoava. The beautiful design, combined with reliable arrhythmia analysis lets users monitor their heart in a stylish, unnoticeable way.

Products for the identification and screening of arrhythmias are being developed at high speed all over the world. The consumer experience is vital; the products must be easy and practical to use in everyday life. Stylish design and ease of use play a significant role in how the consumer embraces the product in the long run.
 
In wellness and sports products, the design is something that is self evident, but when talking about medical devices, the AiVoni Lumoava ECG-necklace could be the starting point for a new era of self-monitoring.
 
“Heart2Save has strong roots in science, and our products are medical devices,” said Helena Jäntti, CEO of Heart2Save. “They have thus gone through the same demanding process as devices used in hospitals, so the information they provide can be trusted. In order to catch an occasional arrhythmia or asymptomatic atrial fibrillation, repeated measurements are required. The measurements are easily done with a device that you always have with you, like a piece of jewellery. A medical device, as a design product, also does not stigmatise the user as someone having a heart disease. These were the starting points for Heart2Save and Lumoava’s idea to make a necklace into a medical device.”
 
The research behind the ECG-necklace was first showcased at a scientific congress organised by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) in May 2020. According to the findings, the ECG-necklace produced ECG recordings with quality, from where both cardiologists and AiVoni arrhythmia detection algorithms could reliably identify arrhythmia. In self-monitoring products, accurate AI-based analyses are necessary so consumers don’t have to interpret the ECG themselves.
 
Saurum, founded in 1942, has a long background as a manufacturer of high-quality silver and gold jewellery. Saurum manufactures all the products of the Finnish design brand Lumoava in Kuopio, at the world’s northernmost jewellery factory.
 
“It was easy for Lumoava to start a collaboration with Heart2Save, as we share the same values and have the right combination of expertise and knowledge,” said Mikko Pessi, CEO of Saurum. “We have 75 years of experience in designing jewellery and working with silver, so it has been truly inspiring to join forces in the challenging process of designing and manufacturing this innovative medical device. How to develop a beautiful piece of jewellery, which at the same time is a life-saving medical device? We listened to our hearts and accepted the challenge, and soon these unique AiVoni Lumoava necklaces will be manufactured in Kuopio.”
 
Heart2Save is a Kuopio-based health tech company founded in 2015, with its core competence in identification of heart arrhythmias. The company has knowledge in different branches of science, including medicine, algorithms, medical device regulation, product development and usability.