This ERC Proof of Concept grant set out to provide a suite of software applications that translate lab based research tests into useable accessible tools to measure how much an individual’s thoughts and emotions are likely to be guided by emotional arousal in the body. HeartRater is based around cardiac interoception: i.e. the influence of heart on thoughts feelings and behaviours, and profiles an individual according to their sensitivity to, and awareness of, their heartbeats.
This work is grounded on the PI’s (ERC-funded and prior) research showing how much individual differences in heartbeat detection abilities and body-to brain communication of arousal affect anxiety-proneness, pain and fatigue sensitivity, threat detection, memory, adaptive decision-making, and impulsivity.
Working with a software company, CellSoftware ltd, we outsourced the development of a flexible multiplatform ‘vanilla’ prototype of cardiac interoceptive assessment tools incorporating input from clinical-standard pulse-oximetric cardiac measurement, and a battery of questionnaires and epidemiological data entry. This prototype platform has a user-interface that is ideal for use in clinical settings for clinician-led assessment of patients. The final prototype incorporates data analytic functions and the capacity to output to data bases for population based analyses, similar to clinical research studies conducted by the PIs group. The success of this prototype led to continued partnership with software development company who were commissioned in an extension of this work funded by a further (non-EU) grant) to develop a heartbeat detection training platform for clinical use in anxiety prevention. Different heart sensor inputs (e.g. smartwatch, camera) and ‘sleeved’ versions of the platform (for health, sport and other use) have been explored during the development period.
The grant also engaged the IPR office at the University of Brighton who have trademarked the name HeartRater, and the Sussex Innovation Centre (SInC) who support the commercialisation of university research. SInC have facilitated the work with Cell Software, and have helped with branding and promotion. They have undertaken market analyses, infor4med by focus groups and have set up promotional events and a website (HeartRater.co.uk) to further facilitate the interoception of this to market / clinical setting and industry. The sports sector is one promising area to explore further alongside personal health and wellbeing. Following the end of the POC project, we continue to work with SInC and CellSoftware to identify commercialisation opportunities through external (innovation) grant funding, through industry contacts and facilitation by the university enterprise panel. We are exploring opportunities for a spin-out company.
