Most people never question the blood pressure cuff at the doctor’s office. It is so standard that it blends into the background. For Dr. Alaina Rajagopal and Dr. Aditya Rajagopal, however, that familiar device represents one of modern healthcare’s most overlooked blind spots. As the founders of Esperto Medical, they see the need for a better solution.
Alaina’s perspective changed dramatically after spending a month providing medical care on a remote island. Limited resources made it difficult to get reliable data for her patients. “I came home frustrated and said, ‘I wish I had a tricorder,’” she remembers, referencing the sci-fi device from Star Trek. Aditya, an engineer with experience at Caltech and Google, responded with a challenge. Why not actually build one?
This conversation sparked a mission that would take almost a decade of effort. They were not interested in just creating another health gadget. They wanted to address a growing disconnect between the demands of modern healthcare and the aging technology still relied upon in hospitals and clinics.
The Real Cost of Outdated Monitors
Blood pressure is more than just a number. It is a key measure that influences everything from medication dosing to emergency treatment decisions. Alaina points out that there are more and more ineffective blood pressure and vital sign monitors using flawed methodology. Outdated cuffs and even some newer devices can produce inaccurate or inconsistent readings, especially for patients with larger arms, high BMI, or different skin tones.
These inaccuracies have real consequences. Missed warning signs and unnecessary hospital visits become more likely. Alaina adds that a shortage of clinicians makes matters worse, often sending patients to emergency departments for help that might have been preventable.
Many newer devices do not fully solve the problem. Some rely on pulse wave velocity or sensors that require calibration or can be thrown off by patient movement or unique anatomy. “All of these companies rely on approaches that require calibration to a blood pressure cuff or arterial catheter, or fail in unexpected ways,” says Aditya. “Esperto’s methods take direct calculations 100 times per second, so it is responsive to individuals’ unique anatomy and physiology.”
From Science Fiction to Science Fact
The Rajagopals set out to develop something fundamentally different. Their solution is resonance sonomanometry, an ultrasound-based method that directly measures blood pressure without needing a cuff or periodic recalibration. The technology works anywhere on the body where an artery is visible to ultrasound, making the device adaptable for both hospitals and home use.
The first sessions planning this device took place at their own kitchen table, using the walls to sketch out concepts. Next, they teamed up with Caltech professor and machine learning expert Yaser Abu-Mostafa to start Esperto Medical. They recruited a superstar engineer and CTO, Raymond Jimenez, and through grant funding, hard work, and years of persistence, they took their idea from concept to clinical reality.
Now, they have a device that is calibration-free, continuous, and designed for people of all sizes and backgrounds, not just the so-called average patient.
A Decade in the Making
Building a company around this technology has not been easy. Aditya describes it as a ten-year effort involving many of the smartest minds he has worked with. People were working second and third jobs, himself included, to move the project forward. There were no shortcuts. They bootstrapped, secured grant funding, and navigated the long process of clinical validation.
Their vision has grown beyond hospitals. The technology could have a major impact on remote health, digital care, and even at-home monitoring. “We solved an unsolved medical problem of non-invasively and continuously measuring true blood pressure without calibration,” Aditya says.
Looking Forward
Esperto Medical is preparing for product launches and new partnerships. The founders hope their approach will set a new standard for how blood pressure is measured. Alaina believes that if they can improve even one critical piece of the healthcare puzzle, it will be worth the effort.
Innovation sometimes starts with a simple question. What if there is a better way? For the Rajagopals, finding the answer has become their mission, and their journey could reshape the way health is measured for the future.
Spencer Hulse is the Editorial Director at Grit Daily. He is responsible for overseeing other editors and writers, day-to-day operations, and covering breaking news.
