Carditest is a concept application, created by Leo Reynolds in response to a Royal Society for Arts (RSA) Student Design Awards brief, “Healthy Hearts”, in partnership with Philips. Reynolds’ aim with Carditest is to motivate users to maintain a healthy heart, through the use of regular health checks and wearable technology.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is currently the largest cause of death in the UK. Reynolds’ research concluded that living in deprived areas reduces an individual’s likelihood of accessing health checks and prevention methods for CVD, increasing their risk of premature death. Barriers such as transport, finances, and frustration around the booking and attendance of appointments, are a few factors preventing these people from accessing healthcare resources. Carditest removes these barriers through a test-at-home service, which uses wearable technology compatible with all Apple and Android smartwatches, allowing users to carry out regular health checks themselves. These are continuously recorded, giving users the ability to track their health scores and monitor their progress towards a healthier heart. The application allows users to share their health scores with family and friends through the shared leaderboard, as well as see how they face up against the UK’s average, providing extra motivation for behavioural change.