The word ‘endothelial’ is probably not a common part of most people’s vocabulary. It describes the type of cells that form the inner lining of your heart, which we’re sure you think about every day. One group of scientists hopes so. Working from Lancaster University in the UK, they’ve created what they call the “endotheliometer,” which they think could be “the thermometer of the 21st century.” It’s basically like a watch in reverse; it fits on your wrist and instead of giving you time, it takes it away by notifying you of your imminent cardiovascular problems.

Ok, it’s not quite like that. The designers suppose that good health and good blood circulation go hand in hand. The endotheliometer is able to monitor heart-generated pulse waves directly related to the endothelium, which steadily declines with age. This could lead to the detection of problems with blood pressure, clotting and circulation. It could also lead to you impressing you friends by working ‘endothelial’ into a sentence.

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American healthcare has about a million double-edged swords. One particularly dangerous one is when a heart attack patient could have been saved had the symptoms been recognized earlier, thus getting an ambulance sooner. A new health monitor can accomplish this.

Oxitone is worn on the wrist and monitors the ups and downs in a patient’s heart rate, as well as their blood’s oxygen levels, on a minute-by-minute basis. It contains two optical sensors that alert the wearer to a rapidly-elevating or abnormal heart beat. If any danger signs surface, the wearer can call a doctor or go immediately to the hospital to get checked out.

Oxitone is expected to cost $200 and is due to go on the market in 2015, thanks to GE Healthcare’s Health Academy Entrepreneurship Program. Hopefully this potentially life-saving device will soon be available to everyone who needs it.

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