The clip works with a custom smartphone app and currently costs about 80 cents (65p) to make which could be driven as low as 10 cents when manufactured at scale.
The researchers said it could help make regular blood pressure monitoring easy, affordable and accessible to people in resource-poor communities. It could benefit older adults and pregnant women, for example, in managing conditions such as hypertension.
“We’ve created an inexpensive solution to lower the barrier to blood pressure monitoring,” said study first author Yinan Xuan.
Study senior author Edward Wang said: “Because of their low cost, these clips could be handed out to anyone who needs them but cannot go to a clinic regularly.
“A blood pressure monitoring clip could be given to you at your checkup, much like how you get a pack of floss and toothbrush at your dental visit.”
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