BARC Scientists Design Credit Card Sized “Tele-ECG machine”

 By Indrani Sarkar, Hyderabad

India still faces the challenge of ensuring health care.According to the World Health Report 2002, Cardiovascular disease is likely to be the commonest cause of death as well as disability in India by 2020.

So no doubt an early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to ensure sustainable medical treatment and improved survival rates and here comes a new low-cost and portable tele-electro cardiogram (ECG) system which have been developed by the scientists of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).

This tele-ECG has a unique feature of recording ECG of the focus and displaying the same on the mobile screen. Subsequently complete recording, the ECG could be sent to an expert’s mobile through multimedia messaging service (MMS) for his opinion.

Not only this but the system can be controlled by mobile phone with the help of a Bluetooth connection. Certainly the device will be helpful for cardiac patients residing in rural or remote areas.

According to the Scientists of BARC the tele machine which will also be pocket friendly which people will be able to afford one of these machines for their private use.

“This new machine would be priced around Rs 4,000,” said the BARC scientist. The saleable machines currently available in the market cost between Rs 40,000 and Rs 50,000.

BARC Scientists further claims that this new tele-ECG is cost-effective and useful tool for diagnosis and monitoring of heart diseases, therefore proves quality and accessibility, especially in rural areas.