The Oura Ring is a widely recognized smart wearable that tracks detailed health metrics, including sleep quality and recovery. It uses advanced sensors to monitor physiological data from the finger, which provides a strong signal for heart-related measurements. Given the growing capabilities of wearable technology, many users wonder if this device can track blood pressure. The central question is whether such a compact sensor package can accurately measure the two-number reading—systolic and diastolic pressure.
The Immediate Answer: Does Oura Track Blood Pressure
The current generation of the Oura Ring does not directly measure or estimate blood pressure. The device does not provide the standard systolic and diastolic readings delivered by a traditional medical cuff. While the Oura Ring is a sophisticated health tracker, it lacks the specific hardware and medical clearance required to perform accurate blood pressure measurement. Instead, the ring focuses on collecting other physiological signals that contribute to a broader picture of cardiovascular wellness.
Related Cardiovascular Metrics the Oura Ring Tracks
Although the Oura Ring cannot provide a blood pressure number, it captures several other metrics that offer significant insight into cardiovascular status and function. The device uses infrared photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors to monitor changes in blood volume from the finger’s arteries. This optical measurement allows the ring to continuously track Heart Rate (HR) and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) throughout the day, especially during sleep.
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is an informative metric reflecting the subtle, beat-to-beat differences in time between heartbeats. A higher HRV is associated with better recovery and resilience, indicating a balanced autonomic nervous system. Conversely, a lower HRV can signal stress, illness, or fatigue, providing an indirect measure of the body’s strain.
The ring also provides estimated metrics like Cardiovascular Age (CVA) and Cardio Capacity (VO2 Max), which rely on the captured heart data. CVA is determined by analyzing age-related observations in the PPG signal, which correlates with arterial stiffness. Cardio Capacity, an estimate of VO2 Max, is calculated using heart rate data collected during a guided walking test, offering a proxy for cardiorespiratory fitness.
Technical Hurdles of Wearable Blood Pressure Monitoring
The primary reason most consumer wearables, including the Oura Ring, do not offer direct blood pressure readings is the difference in measurement methods. The medical standard uses an oscillometric technique, which involves inflating a cuff to temporarily stop and release blood flow, measuring pressure waves. Wearables use cuffless methods, relying on optical sensors and complex algorithms.
The Oura Ring uses the PPG sensor, which detects volumetric changes in blood flow, not direct pressure. To estimate blood pressure from this signal, researchers rely on the concept of Pulse Transit Time (PTT), which is the time it takes for a pulse wave to travel between two points. Calculating PTT requires signals from two different locations, which is difficult to achieve in a single, compact ring form factor. PTT-based models are prone to inaccuracies because they are sensitive to external factors like sensor movement and skin temperature.
Any cuffless blood pressure estimation model faces the problem of calibration, requiring frequent reference readings from a traditional cuff to maintain accuracy. While seamless wearables aim to avoid this inconvenience, accuracy degrades without it. Furthermore, to provide a true diagnostic tool, any device must undergo rigorous clinical validation and obtain regulatory approval, such as from the Food and Drug Administration, ensuring medical-grade accuracy.
Future Outlook and Industry Comparisons
The wearable health industry is actively working to overcome these technical limitations, and Oura has indicated future interest in this area. The company plans to conduct a “Blood Pressure Profile” study to explore how its passive biometric data can detect the early signs of hypertension risk. The focus is not on providing an absolute systolic and diastolic number, but rather on using continuous data to flag a user’s risk level for high blood pressure.
This approach aligns with the industry trend of providing risk assessment and awareness rather than a medical diagnosis. Other companies are pursuing direct blood pressure measurement, such as the Cart-1 smart ring, which received regulatory validation in South Korea for its blood pressure feature. Competitors like Apple and Samsung are also developing hypertension detection systems for smartwatches, often requiring initial calibration. Oura’s research suggests a future feature that could provide early, non-diagnostic alerts for cardiovascular health changes, requiring eventual FDA clearance.