Today, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are one of the major causes of death globally. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 17.8 million people died from CVDs in 2019, representing 35% of all global deaths. However, a majority of these deaths could have been prevented. In today’s chaotic world, it has become tough to convince a person to visit a hospital without actual need.
Established in 2014, HeartIn Inc. strives to provide people with an easy-to-use tool for medical-grade accuracy heart monitoring, which can be performed anywhere. The Miami, Florida-based company is constantly driving innovations forward—aiming to accelerate the development of telemedicine and remote cardiology in particular. After more than 8 years since the initiation of the idea, as well as dozens of various prototypes and continuous development, HeartIn Inc has launched its product—HeartIn Fit.
The Fascinating Journey
HeartIn started developing its first product—a portable 12-lead ECG—in 2014. After several trials, the device was validated and the sales process was initiated. However, despite the high accuracy and relative simplicity, the product was not a perfect fit for end-consumers. Attaching electrodes to a body took merely a few minutes, however, it required certain attention and right placement. The company aimed to develop a convenient solution that could be used by everyone, however, it appeared to be too complicated.
Exhibiting a never-say-die attitude, HeartIn moved forward with a new vision in 2015. Its next idea was to build a bracelet-like ECG monitor, different from the other fitness trackers. However, the device could not fulfill the primary market requirement, viz. constant heart monitoring. It could only perform interval monitoring at specific times—which did not guarantee the health of a user.
Furthermore, the data samples collected during the monitoring were relatively small and could only be taken during a resting state. Thus, the measurements could not describe the real situation. HeartIn Inc did not want to focus on ‘almost good’ solutions, thus, its journey continued. In 2017, the company launched HeartIn Fit—a smart T-shirt capable of collecting the users’ ECG data and determining the level of stress and fatigue of the body with AI-based diagnostics.
HeartIn Fit
HeartIn Fit is a smart ECG t-shirt that monitors the users’ health conditions before, during, and after the training session. It helps users to surely know when to start and when to rest, as well as how to train with maximum utility and the lowest harm to their heart. The t-shirt is equipped with two built-in textile nanoelectrodes placed at the inner part at the chest level. These electrodes as well as the t-shirt are made of soft, hypo-allergic fabric which does not cause irritations—which makes it comfortable to wear all day long.
The procedure of using HeartIn Fit is simple. Users just have to press a button and attach the device to the t-shirt using clamps. It will connect to their smartphone automatically via Bluetooth, and they can start the monitoring from the HeartIn mobile application. HeartIn ECG collects the data recorded by textile electrodes and sends this data to the app—where it is analyzed by the AI algorithm.
Oleskii Vynogradov (Co–founder and CEO of HeartIn Inc) mentions, “We are focused on the comfort of our customers. This is our main competitive point to keep process fun for consumers.” Moreover, factors such as comfort, automated data analysis, ultra-precision, machine washability, long battery life, etc. distinguish HeartIn Fit from its competitors.
A Proficient Serial Entrepreneur
Oleskii’s entrepreneurial journey started 30 years ago. His first company was a telecommunication-based firm. Later, he moved to the consumer mobile advertisement and consumer applications space before venturing into the digital health landscape. He is also well-versed in blockchain and cryptocurrency domains.
Olesekii co-founded HeartIn Inc with Dmytro Fedkov—a treating cardiologist and rheumatologist with more than 15 years of experience. He has authored more than 70 scientific works. As the co-founder of the company, Olesekii performs several different roles such as team building, HR, financials, and even software development. He has been an integral part of the company’s rapid growth since its inception.
Embracing the Change
The COVID-19 pandemic took a massive toll on businesses around the world. The concept of remote work was new to majority of businesses, as a result, they suffered during the pandemic. HeartIn Inc, however, was not significantly affected by the pandemic as it was already a remote company. It is based on three continents—Asia, the US, and Europe, and all its employees are remote. Thus, the company seamlessly adapted to the transition.
The dynamics of the healthcare industry are constantly changing. Presently, there is more push for innovation in healthcare. Moreover, customer preferences are also changing post-COVID. There is increased emphasis on preventive diagnostics. Olesekii believes that preventive healthcare diagnostics will be in the mainstream in the next couple of years.
Preparations for the Future
Presently, HeartIn is focused on selling its first solution, the HeartIn Fit t-shirt. Olesekii believes that the same t-shirt can be used in the mental health space. He mentions that the company has numerous opportunities in the mental health space. In the next five years, he envisions growing collaboration startups where doctors will be part-time co-founders, and invest enough to create a product.
Olesekii further asserts that governments should support startups for orders, which would boost their growth significantly. HeartIn products are presently prototypes, however, Olesekii believes that things will change significantly in the near future as the pandemic accelerated changes and innovations around the world.
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