Woman wearing the Sona neck cuff at home in a relaxed, intimate setting, demonstrating the wearable’s comfort for daily use.
Sona
Degree Project
2025
Every 1.5 seconds, someone dies of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), yet treatment often begins only when symptoms are already severe. Sona envisions a proactive healthcare future, where early signs of CVD can be detected before they are felt. This project introduces a wearable neck cuff that uses ultrasound to detect arterial plaque buildup, which leads to heart attacks. By identifying these warning signs early, individuals can take action before it’s too late. This project was made possible through the support of the CIMT Research Group at Norrlands University Hospital, as well as close collaboration with doctors, nurses, ultrasound specialists, and real-life stories shared by patients living with heart disease. Together, we aim to shift cardiovascular care from reactive to preventive, using technology to empower people to take control of their heart health and ultimately save lives.
Project Information
Every 1.5 seconds, someone in the world dies of cardiovascular diseases. That’s one-third of all global deaths—19 million lives lost every year. What’s even more shocking is that most of these deaths could have been prevented if we only detected the disease earlier. But the problem is: by the time you feel a symptom, it’s often too late. Treatments then become invasive, expensive, and the survival rate drops sharply—from 99% in the early stages to just 20% in late-stage heart failure.
Methods
Together with my collaboration partner, the CIMT Research Team from the local Norrlands University Hospital, we asked ourselves: How can we make early diagnosis more accessible? I spoke with doctors, nurses, ultrasound specialists, and most importantly, listened to the real stories of patients living with heart disease. What I learned is that current detection methods are limited—they are locked away in clinics, need specialists, and usually happen only after symptoms appear.
Result
Sona is a wearable neck cuff that lets you detect early signs of cardiovascular disease, long before you feel anything. It uses ultrasound technology—the same as in pregnancy scans—combined with a soft gel pad that allows it to see under the skin, revealing arterial plaque buildup that can lead to heart attacks. You simply put Sona on like a neckband. It guides you through the scan, and in just a few seconds, it captures detailed images of your arteries. The data is analyzed by AI and then reviewed by a healthcare professional. A few days later, you get your results—low, medium, or high risk—and a plan for your next steps. All of this, from the comfort of your own home.
Sona is not just a device. It’s a vision for a healthier tomorrow—a way for people to take control of their heart health before symptoms take control of them
In collaboration with:
Minimalistic Sona neck cuff design shown in a product render, highlighting clean surfaces and an approachable look for user trust.
Sona worn around the neck with an abstract overlay of an ultrasound image detecting arterial plaque, illustrating early cardiovascular disease detection.
App screenshots show user risk levels and talk with a cardiologist discussing personalised results and prevention strategies.
Close-up of Sona’s gel pad and ultrasound transducer, emphasising the embedded diagnostic technology.
Front view of Sona featuring a glowing LED ring around a button, providing intuitive user interaction for scanning.
Billboard campaign with bold text: “You might die reading this ad*,” promoting cardiovascular disease awareness and prevention.
Photo of 3D-printed Sona neck cuff prototypes, showcasing different iterations in form and fit during product development.
Three photos of biomedical analysts demonstrating ultrasound use in a hospital, explaining plaque detection and scan interpretation processes.
Process images: prototyping with materials, body-typing sessions, and conducting qualitative interviews.
