Remote Synchronous Monitoring of Body Temperature and ECG for Contactless Home-Based Observation in COVID-19 Community Prevention and Control
Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), it has been found that 40% of infected patients have underlying cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and coronary heart disease, among whom 16.7% developed arrhythmia complications. From the perspective of cardiology, for COVID-19 patients, especially those with underlying cardiovascular conditions, attention should not only be paid to body temperature but also to cardiac health.
On February 15, Professor Jiang Hong from the Department of Cardiology at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, and the Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Artificial Intelligence in Cardiopulmonary Diseases, together with her team members, attending physician Liu Ming and Cheng Jia, proposed the concept of a “Wenxin” (Warm Heart) device for remote, synchronized monitoring of body temperature and electrocardiogram (ECG) in isolated populations. They rapidly collaborated with the R&D team of Shanghai Jialian Medical Technology Co., Ltd. Building upon their existing “portable ECG measurement device,” the team concentrated efforts on overcoming technical challenges and conducting iterative prototyping, swiftly completing a prototype. Shanghai Shenhao Law Firm responded promptly, completing domestic and international patent search and analysis within two days, and assisted in filing a patent application for “A Device for Synchronized Monitoring of Dynamic Body Temperature and Dynamic Electrocardiogram.”
With the support of the leadership and Department of Cardiology of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, and under the guidance of the Xuhui District Health Commission, on February 21, Professor Jiang Hong’s team from Zhongshan Hospital, Director Sun Ya’s team from the Xuhui District Health Development Center, Deputy Director Gu Wenqin and his family doctor team from the Fenglin Community Health Service Center collaborated closely. Leveraging the intelligent platform built under Shanghai’s second batch of AI pilot application scenarios—“Xuhui District Full-Cycle Intelligent Services for Cardiovascular Diseases”—they distributed the first batch of “Wenxin” device samples and blood pressure monitors to residents enrolled in the family doctor program in Fenglin Subdistrict. This initiative enables autonomous dynamic home monitoring, with data wirelessly transmitted to the intelligent platform of the Xuhui District Health Development Center, thereby preliminarily achieving contactless observation and follow-up for the home-based population.
Community-based prevention and control efforts during the current COVID-19 pandemic have been substantial. This type of contactless “Wenxin” device fills a gap in joint monitoring and reduces the risk of cross-infection through human-to-human transmission. Director Sun Ya from the Xuhui District Health Development and Management Center pointed out that this smart device and its intelligent monitoring model can be applied to home-bound populations, including individuals with mild COVID-19 symptoms and those in recovery, thereby supporting early diagnosis and prevention. Our team is committed to further improving and refining both the smart device and the intelligent monitoring model to meet the needs of home-based care.