Jyväskylä team develops phone-sized defibrillator for home use

The University of Jyväskylä and US company USA Medical Electronix have developed a phone-sized defibrillator intended for home use, Yle reports. The device is in the experimental stage, with extensive testing due to begin in the United States before moving to Europe.

Its software analyses the heart’s electrical activity and decides whether to deliver a shock. The device also gives instructions to the person performing resuscitation. A shock can stop abnormal electrical activity in the heart and help restore a normal rhythm.

USA Medical Electronix chief executive Tom Kuutti said the idea came from his son, who worked as a paramedic and told him that ambulances sometimes could not reach patients in time. The portable device is intended to be carried with the user.

The University of Jyväskylä developed the software with expertise in analysing the heart’s electrical activity. Professor Lauri Kettunen said the project was both a significant challenge, because it involved people’s health and raised questions of responsibility, and an opportunity to gain experience turning research into products. Research assistant Teemu Paloniemi wrote code for the software.

Kai Lahtinen, a field operations director for the Central Finland Wellbeing Services County, said the device’s small size could make it easier to carry and use at home. It could be particularly useful in rural areas, where defibrillators are currently scarce, and for families affected by heart symptoms. Lahtinen said the first minutes are often crucial in defibrillator treatment.

If the device receives the necessary approvals, the company estimates it could be available in the United States in about a year and in Europe in about two years.