An Unfinished but Necessary Path: Ring-Based Cuffless Blood Pressure Monitoring at the Crossroads of Innovation and Clinical Reality
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Background: Cuffless wearable technologies for blood pressure (BP) monitoring have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional cuff-based methods, offering the possibility of continuous, real-world assessment. Summary: Ring-based devices estimate BP from peripheral signals, including photoplethysmography and pulse wave features. Although early studies have shown encouraging correlations with reference standards, these systems do not directly measure arterial pressure. Their performance is affected by physiological variability, calibration dependence, and population heterogeneity. Current evidence suggests that these devices may provide useful information about BP dynamics, but their accuracy and reliability remain insufficient for routine clinical decision-making. Key Messages: Cuffless BP monitoring represents an important technological advance, but it remains constrained by fundamental methodological challenges. Broader validation in diverse populations and outcome-based clinical trials are needed before widespread clinical adoption.
Source: Pulse
DOI: 10.1159/pls/aeoag005
Author: Ki-Chul Sung
Institutions: Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University
Language: English
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7220863276