Smart Bed Saves 70-Year-Old Man's Life

The man's smart mattress detected his dangerously slow heart rate and alerted him to seek emergency medical care.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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A 70-year-old man's life was saved thanks to a warning from his smart bed. The bed's ballistocardiography feature detected the man's abnormally slow heart rate during the night, prompting an alert that led him to seek medical attention. At the emergency room, doctors found the man was suffering from a complete heart block, a potentially fatal condition. The doctors were able to insert a pacemaker, treating the issue in time.

Why it matters

This case highlights the growing role of smart home technologies in monitoring health and potentially saving lives. As more devices incorporate advanced sensors, they are gaining the ability to detect subtle changes that could indicate serious medical issues, allowing users to seek treatment before a crisis occurs.

The details

The man's smart bed used ballistocardiography to track his heart rate overnight. It detected his heart rate had dropped to an average of 42 beats per minute, well below his normal nighttime rate of 72 BPM. The bed alerted the man, who then cross-checked the data with other devices before going to the emergency room. There, doctors confirmed he was suffering from a complete heart block, a severe condition where the cardiac conduction system fails, cutting off the atria from the ventricles and causing dangerously slow heart rates.

  • The smart bed detected the man's abnormally slow heart rate the night before he sought medical attention.

The players

James Ip

A cardiologist at Weill Cornell Medical College and New York–Presbyterian Hospital who explained the medical details of the case in a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The 70-year-old man

The patient whose life was saved by the warning from his smart bed.

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What they’re saying

“Increasing awareness of these tools can help patients and clinicians manage cardiac arrhythmias based on wearable-directed medical care.”

— James Ip, Cardiologist (New England Journal of Medicine)

What’s next

Doctors were able to insert a pacemaker to treat the man's complete heart block, resolving his symptoms.

The takeaway

This case demonstrates the life-saving potential of smart home technologies equipped with advanced health monitoring capabilities. As these devices become more prevalent, they may play a crucial role in early detection of serious medical issues, empowering users to seek timely treatment.