Recent advances in cardiovascular monitoring using ballistocardiography.

Ballistocardiography (BCG) is a non-invasive method for monitoring cardiovascular health. While in the early 1900s, when it was invented, the BCG was intended to be a tool used exclusively in the clinic, the recent resurgence of BCG research has actually focused on extra-clinical applications ranging from home monitoring to measuring signals from astronauts in space. This repositioning of the diagnostic technique has largely been spurred by recent advances in measurement technology: historically, BCG instrumentation was large, cumbersome, and difficult to maintain; currently, it is small, easy-to-use, and does not require any sophisticated maintenance. This review presents the latest technological improvements in BCG instrumentation. These developments should further help to establish the BCG as a useful diagnostic tool in the coming years.