Chang-Po Chao, a distinguished professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at National Chiao Tung University, and his team invent the world''s first handheld "Non-Invasive Blood Flow Detector" help the patients monitor their fistulas health condition. (Picture provided by Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan)

Kidney dialysis patients need long-term hemodialysis, which may cause fistula blocking and vascular complications. To help the patients monitor their fistulas health condition in real-time, Chang-Po Chao, a distinguished professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at National Chiao Tung University, and his team invent the world''s first handheld "Non-Invasive Blood Flow Detector," which combines the technologies of Photoplethysmography (PPG), electronic circuit and AI modeling. It can precisely measure heart rate, blood flow, blood pressure, and atrial fibrillation.

Long-Term Hemodialysis May Cause Fistula Blocking Easily

According to the statistic in 2018 from National Health Insurance Administration, chronic kidney diseases have had the highest costs for years. There were 364,000 patients in 2018, and the diseases had cost NTD 44.9 billion in 2017.

A blood tunnel for hemodialysis is called a "fistula," which plays a critical role in hemodialysis for kidney dialysis patients. However, long-term hemodialysis may cause fistula blocking and vascular complications. The most precise method is using an invasive blood flow detector to diagnose fistula blocking, which requires medical professions to operate, causing great inconvenience. Most hospitals currently use non-invasive ultrasound detectors for blood flow diagnosis, but they are expensive, bulky, and require medical professions to operate.

Ultrasound Detectors Are Expensive and Inconvenient

The "Non-Invasive Blood Flow Detector," invented by Prof. Chao and his team, measures the heart rates with light sensors, an analogy to the back of Apple Watch. It senses the optical signal from subcutaneous blood vessels to detect the blood flows. The detector is only half the size of a cell phone, a small size, and easy to use. Using the sensor does not involve any radiation or invasive detection, and the blood flow measurement is accurate. The detector can be used for kidney dialysis patients and real-time detection of dehydration, heatstroke, and altitude sickness. It allows patients to do the measurement at home and upload the data to the cloud simultaneously for doctors.

Handheld Detector Can Be Used At Home

Since 2014, Prof. Chao and his team have devoted to researching "Non-Invasive Blood Flow Detector." After putting efforts for six years, they have gained the popularity of 24 companies in Taiwan. Moreover, in 2019, they won a big prize from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, which only award one researcher internationally each year in the sensor field. They are also the first who won the prize in Taiwan.