CSEM, the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology, is mainly active in the fields of micro/nanotechnology, microelectronics, systems engineering, information and communication technologies. CSEM has been rewarded by the sports community in ISPO for its pulse measurement device integrated in an ear-piece, that would enable the user to make progress and improve his sports training while listening to his favorite music.

Pulsear is based on the multi-channel monitoring of subcutaneous blood flow. An optical emitter provides infra-red light at 875 nm which is then scattered through the tissue of the ear cartilage, where it is submitted to modifications due to reflection, refraction and absorption. The analysis of the light received by a photo-diode allows the detection of the cardiac activity, i.e. heart rate, through the effects of arterial pulse waves reaching the cartilage at each cardiac systole. This is the so-called photo-plethysmographic effect.
To learn more: French article in “Le Temps” or on CSEM website