High-Tech Stick Can Predict Your Risk of Heart Problems
August 28, 2019 | RMIT UniversityEstimated reading time: 2 minutes

A hand-held device to predict heart failure based on saliva could help millions of potential victims take preventative steps to avoid their fate.
Nano-sensors on the tip of the diagnostic stick measure heart disease biomarkers to accurately predict the risk of heart disease, failure or heart attack, then warn users via a simple app.
RMIT University and the Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC) are now researching and developing the device for pilot manufacture, with expectations it will hit market by 2021, in a collaboration led by Melbourne-based start-up, ESN Cleer.
RMIT University nanotechnology and design experts join forces with ESN Cleer and the Innovative Manufacturing CRC to bring the device to market by 2021. Photo: Adam R. Thomas
ESN Cleer CEO Leopoldt de Bruin said the team represented some of the best minds in medical device innovation, design and manufacture.
“We’re really pleased to be able to bring these strands together in addressing such a major global health challenge,” De Bruin said.
“Of the 400 million people who suffer from cardiovascular disease globally, only 16 per cent of cases are due to genetic traits. This underlines how much room there is to improve on screening and prevention, which is where this device could have such an impact.”
Cardiovascular disease currently accounts for nearly one-third of all global disease deaths each year.
Research Co-Director of RMIT University’s Functional Materials and Microsystems Research Group, Professor Sharath Sriram, said this was the first portable heart disease test with such high levels of accuracy.
The sensing technology, developed at RMIT University’s cutting-edge Micro Nano Research Facility, was validated in the lab to measure biomarker concentrations a thousand times more precisely than levels in human body fluids.
“This marks a big step forward in technology for screening,” Sriram said.
“Often, blood tests are only conducted after a heart failure episode. Such reactive testing is too late, leaving people with debilitating illness or leading to deaths.”
“Prevention is always better than cure, which is where this technology comes in, adding accurate prediction to the mix.”
Page 1 of 2
Testimonial
"In a year when every marketing dollar mattered, I chose to keep I-Connect007 in our 2025 plan. Their commitment to high-quality, insightful content aligns with Koh Young’s values and helps readers navigate a changing industry. "
Brent Fischthal - Koh YoungSuggested Items
EMS Solutions Expands Workforce to Meet Rising Demand for U.S.-Based Electronics Manufacturing
10/17/2025 | EMS SolutionsEMS Solutions, a premier regional provider of Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS), has announced several new hires across key departments as the company continues to grow its capabilities and meet increasing customer demand.
Jabil Announces Board Transitions
10/17/2025 | JabilJabil Inc. announced that Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors Mark T. Mondello and Directors Kathleen A. Walters and Jamie Siminoff will not seek re-election at Jabil’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders in January 2026.
StenTech Strengthens Precision Parts Platform with AME Acquisition
10/17/2025 | StenTechStenTech, North America’s leading provider of SMT printing solutions and precision manufacturing, has announced the acquisition of Advanced Metal Etching, Inc. (AME), a recognized specialist in chemically etched and laser cut precision parts.
MKS’ Atotech, ESI to Participate in TPCA Show & IMPACT Conference 2025
10/17/2025 | MKS’ AtotechMKS Inc., a global provider of enabling technologies that transform our world, announced that its strategic brands Atotech (process chemicals, equipment, software, and services) and ESI (laser systems) will showcase their latest range of leading manufacturing solutions for printed circuit board (PCB) and package substrate manufacturing at the upcoming 26th TPCA Show 2025 to be held at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center from 22-24 October 2025.
Primax, Vieureka Partner to Drive Next-Generation EDGE AI
10/17/2025 | PRNewswirePrimax Electronics Ltd., a leading global ODM with AI sensor fusion technologies, and Vieureka Inc., a Japanese edge AI innovator, announced a strategic partnership to develop a next-generation edge AI camera.