Philips, Mayo Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro to Test Cardiac Technology

Philips and the Mayo Clinic are embarking on a research expedition to climb Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro to test monitoring equipment that will measure how the body reacts to high altitudes.

Using app-based digital technologies to record vital signs, researchers hope to better understand how oxygen deprivation affects the body. Hypoxia mimics what happens to the body during a cardiac event and can provide clues in better diagnosing and treating cardiac events, the company said.

The technology being tested for the 10-day journey includes contactless monitoring for checking heart rate, arterial blood oxygenation, respiration rate and activity. Philips’ portable CX50 xMatrix will be used to study heart measurements, and its Lumify ultrasound system will check pulmonary measurements.