Paperdoi:10.1109/JIOT.2026.3716618
EarBP: Earbuds-Based Noninvasive Blood Pressure Elevation Monitoring Using Pulse Transit Time
IEEE Internet of Things Journal (2026; S2 publication date 2026-10-15)
TL;DR
Single-site earbud method combining IMU and PPG sensors in the ear canal to measure pulse transit time (PTT) as a proxy for BP changes. How the timing points are defined is not detailed in the abstract. Two-visit lab study, n = 14: PTT correlated with SBP at ρ = −0.68 and DBP at −0.44, and HR with BP at ρ = 0.82.
- Form factor: ear
Abstract
Noninvasive blood pressure (BP) monitoring is essential for cardiovascular health management. Despite extensive research, reliable solutions using wearable devices remain elusive. Here, we present a novel single-site earbud method that combines inertial measurement unit (IMU) and photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors to measure pulse transit time (PTT) as a proxy for BP changes. In a two-visit laboratory study with 14 participants, we found negative correlations between PTT and systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) of −0.68 and −0.44, respectively, and a positive correlation (Pearson’s =0.82 ) between heart rate (HR) and BP. A five-day longitudinal study with 12 participants confirmed that SBP remained inversely correlated (Pearson’s =-0.50 ) with PTT, whereas HR offered no predictive value (Pearson’s =0.18 ). These findings suggest that single-site PTT measured by earbud in the ear canal can capture natural BP elevation beyond controlled interventions, highlighting its promise for unobtrusive cardiovascular monitoring. We reflect on the challenges of capturing high-quality ballistocardiogram (BCG) signals derived from IMUs, the limitations of relying on laboratory protocols, and the need for longitudinal validation to advance BP monitoring.
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APA
Bin Morshed, M., Rahman, M. M., Islam, M. S., Hahn, J.-O., Zhu, L., & Desai, S. (2026). EarBP: Earbuds-Based Noninvasive Blood Pressure Elevation Monitoring Using Pulse Transit Time. IEEE Internet of Things Journal. https://doi.org/10.1109/JIOT.2026.3716618
BibTeX
@article{morshed2026earbp,
title = {{EarBP: Earbuds-Based Noninvasive Blood Pressure Elevation Monitoring Using Pulse Transit Time}},
author = {Bin Morshed, Mehrab and Rahman, Md Mahbubur and Islam, Md Saiful and Hahn, Jin-Oh and Zhu, Li and Desai, S.},
year = {2026},
journal = {IEEE Internet of Things Journal},
doi = {10.1109/JIOT.2026.3716618}
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