A new startup affiliated with Cornell University, named SensVita, is pioneering a method to monitor heart and lung health using radio waves, eliminating the need for physical contact. This innovative approach aims to provide a clinical-grade sensing platform that allows for continuous monitoring of vital signs at home without the use of wires, electrodes, or any devices that touch the skin.
SensVita has recently joined Cornell’s Praxis Center for Venture Development, an incubator that nurtures startups in engineering, digital, and physical sciences. The company’s technology represents a significant advancement in remote health care monitoring. According to Bob Scharf, academic administrative director at Praxis, “SensVita has a noncontact, passive way of monitoring cardiac activity and breath activity.” This technology is particularly valuable for patients who are challenging to monitor, including those in memory care or neonatal settings.
The concept behind SensVita is both ambitious and straightforward: utilize near-field radio frequency sensing to detect minute physiological movements within the body. Their sensors can be installed in a room, within furniture, or even embedded in clothing, allowing for constant monitoring of cardiac and respiratory metrics without imposing any burden on patients. This could enable both patients and healthcare providers to access real-time data without the complexities associated with traditional monitoring devices.
The foundation of this technology originated in the lab of Edwin Kan, a professor at Cornell’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. There, researchers developed near-field coherent sensing systems that direct electromagnetic signals into body tissues to gauge internal movements such as heartbeats and blood flow. Thomas Conroy, a Ph.D. student set to graduate in 2024, transformed this academic research into SensVita after years of exploration into noninvasive health sensors.
“When I joined Cornell electrical engineering in 2019, I began working on noninvasive touchless health sensors,” Conroy explained. “I researched those for five years, taking that technology and founding SensVita in 2023.” With support from Scharf, who connected him with legal resources for company incorporation, Conroy pursued entrepreneurship and innovation in health technology.
SensVita was established in collaboration with Conroy’s father, James Conroy, who has extensive experience in the medical device industry. The company aims to transition its sensing platform from prototype to a commercially viable product, targeting health systems, patients with chronic illnesses, and remote monitoring service providers.
In addition to being accepted into Cornell’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, which includes the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute at Cornell Tech’s Runway incubator program, SensVita was awarded a $305,000 Phase I STTR grant from the National Science Foundation in February 2025. This funding will facilitate pilot studies and further development of their technology.
SensVita intends to focus on chronic disease management, specifically for conditions like heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and sleep apnea, which necessitate regular monitoring. The founders believe that continuous data collection can identify subtle declines in health before they necessitate costly hospitalizations.
Conroy emphasized, “We are focused on people at a high risk for going back to the hospital. That’s the group we want to monitor.” SensVita aims to complement existing technologies, such as ECGs and imaging, by providing a continuous baseline monitoring solution. This approach is particularly appealing to investors who are seeking health technologies that are passive, noninvasive, and scalable.
Before the technology can be tested on human subjects, animal testing will be conducted to observe vital signs related to heart and lung health. Access to the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell will be instrumental in facilitating these tests.
If successful, SensVita could emerge as a key player in the rapidly growing field of remote patient monitoring (RPM). As healthcare systems increasingly reimburse for RPM services, the trend towards home-based care continues to accelerate. SensVita’s no-contact methodology provides a unique advantage in a competitive market, as highlighted by Scharf: “This is technology covered by multiple Cornell patents. Everyone acknowledges Cornell is the leader in this concept.”
With the support of Cornell’s resources, including access to advanced instruments, SensVita is positioned to make a significant impact in the future of health monitoring.
