Happitech, Arrhythmia Alliance and Bug Labs launch Heart for Heart e-health initiative

Happitech, Arrhythmia Alliance and Bug Labs will announce the launch of the Heart for Heart e-health initiative. This initiative invites people to participate in the world’s largest crowdsourced heart health initiative by inviting them to contribute their heart rhythm data using the free Heart for Heart iPhone App.

“In the same way, you donate your money for a good cause, we are asking you to donate 90 seconds of your heart rhythm data to help advance research,” said Yosef Safi Harb, Founder of Happitech. “The data generated by Heart for Heart will be used to better differentiate between AF and a regular heartbeat rhythm. This will speed up the development and accuracy of the technology and create insights into new health correlations.”

The data generated by Heart for Heart is used to improve differentiation between Atrial Fibrillation (AF) and a Regular Heart Rate. Heart for Heart gives the users full control of the data they want to share and keeps it anonymized, aggregated and untraceable. The App also contains an information module about the symptoms, causes and treatment options of AF.

The collected data will be shared and visualized using Bug Labs’ web-based, freeboard™ platform, updated every three weeks. Peter Semmelhack, CEO & Founder Bug Labs said, “freeboard allows everybody to easily access, via any web browser, the results of the Heart for Heart initiative in an intuitive and easy way, helping give meaning to the data.”

Arrhythmia Alliance focus is to raise awareness for the many millions of people across the globe affected by heart rhythm disorders known as Arrhythmias. AF is the most common Arrhythmia and a prevalent cause of stroke in the world, leading to annual totals of 750,000 hospitalizations and 130,000 deaths, with those numbers rising for the past two decades.

For doctors, it is paramount to know what is exactly going on with the heart at the time of irregular heart rhythm episodes. Jonas de Jong, MD, PhD electrophysiologist and Founder of ECGpedia.org said, “Intermittent AF can be difficult to diagnose. Many heart rhythm disorders are only briefly present and people miss out on a proper diagnosis. With undiagnosed and untreated AF, a blood clot may form inside the heart’s atria, due to insufficient blood flow. Being able to detect AF on the spot improves its diagnosis, allows for its proper treatment and will positively alter the prognosis.”

”More than a third of those with AF are completely unaware that they have this condition,” said Trudie Lobban MBE, Founder & CEO of Arrhythmia Alliance & AF Association.

Why should patients live in fear of an AF-related stroke, heart failure, or worse when they have the solution to help detect AF literally at their fingertips?”

Trudie Lobban MBE, Founder & CEO of Arrhythmia Alliance & AF Association.

It is possible to detect heart rhythm disorders just using your smartphone camera. By placing your finger on the camera, the Happitech algorithms can detect even the smallest variations in your heartbeat. The underlying validated heart rate technology is currently being used by health and coaching companies in the areas of stress, life expectancy, fitness and mindfulness.

Robert Riezebos, MD, PhD cardiologist said, “the Heart for Heart initiative will speed up the development of reliable heart rhythm analysis using only a smartphone. For patients to be able to diagnose a rhythm disorder, 24/7, anywhere in the world, without extra hardware and being able to communicate the raw data with their physician would be a huge step forward. However, the smartphone method should be robust and reliable in order to minimise false positive and -negative results. When the technique proves to be successful, it will alter the way we work as cardiologist.”

• Heart for Heart App is free to download from the Apple Appstore www.Appstore.com/HeartforHeart
• Website http://www.heartrateapp.com
• Frequently asked Questions: http://www.heartrateapp.com/faq/index.html

About Happitech

Happitech is a smartphone biofeedback Software Development Kit that measures vital heart signs such as heart rate variability and applied in the fields of stress management, fitness, health checks and heart rhythm disorders.

About Arrhythmia Alliance

Arrhythmia Alliance, are global advocates, working in partnership to reduce deaths and impact on individuals caused by cardiac arrhythmias and their associated morbidities. By raising awareness and campaigning for the improved detection and care of heart rhythm disorders, Arrhythmia Alliance aims to extend and improve the lives of the millions around the world that these conditions affect. Visit website

For more information on Arrhythmia Alliance and World Heart Rhythm Week go to www.heartrhythmweek.org

About Bug Labs

Bug Labs is a technology company headquartered in New York City that began by developing and selling open-source hardware peripherals for rapid prototyping of electronic devices.