More than a snapshot in time: Supplementary vital sign offers deeper insight into long-term health risks

Premstaetten, Austria, and Munich, Germany (May 27, 2026) — Heart rate, blood flow, and other physiological metrics have been central to health monitoring for decades. However, numerous relevant changes in the human body develop insidiously over time and may go undetected when relying on single measurements. As a result, there is increasing interest in supplementary vital signs that reflect sustained physiological strain. One such approach is the non-invasive assessment of Advanced Glycation End Product (AGE) accumulation in tissue via skin autofluorescence.

“Established vital signs continue to be a cornerstone of health monitoring,” says Stephan Haslbeck, Product Manager at ams OSRAM. “Fascinating potential emerges when additional metrics enable projections that extend further into the future: They supplement momentary snapshots with indicators of long-term physiological burdens and thus make it easier to interpret health trends over time.”

A vital sign that reflects long-term trends
AGEs are formed through natural metabolic processes and accumulate in body tissue over extended periods of time. In contrast to heart rate and blood flow, their levels do not fluctuate rapidly in response to physical activity, stress, or an individual’s daily condition. Instead, they change gradually, reflecting ongoing physiological strain over time.

The AGE value does not indicate how an individual is doing right now, but rather reflects the metabolic and physiological processes of strain that has shaped a body[IP2.1] over time. It acts as a biological long-term memory, with continuous measurements revealing the physiological burdens that have accumulated inside the body over the years. In medical research, elevated AGE levels have been associated with metabolic and vascular stress, as seen in conditions such as diabetes, reduced kidney function, and cardiovascular disorders. 

What enables this non-invasive approach is a particular characteristic of certain AGEs in tissue: They accumulate over extended periods in collagen-rich skin tissue and emit a measurable fluorescent signal under targeted optical excitation. This effect can be detected from outside the body, offering a way to visualize long-term biological processes through the skin without the need for blood sampling or invasive procedures.

How to integrate new measurement approaches into compact systems
To make use of additional vital signs like AGE in practice, it must be possible to integrate them into compact, safe, and robust systems. To achieve this, state-of-the-art optical sensing technology enables a clear distinction between different optical signals within a single system.

One representative example is the SFH 7019 multi-chip LED from ams OSRAM. It combines three wavelengths relevant to vital sign applications in a compact component measuring 1.65 mm × 2.15 mm × 0.6 mm (0,065 x 0,084 x 0,0232 in): UV-A light (typically ~383 nm) to excite tissue autofluorescence; green light (~530 nm) for established vital signs such as heart rate monitoring as well as for reflection correction; and infrared light (~980 nm) for photoplethysmography[IP3.1] (PPG)-based measurements. The individual chips can be controlled separately, allowing different measurement approaches to be applied at different times.

Complementing the light source is a specially designed photodiode configured for the concurrent detection of both autofluorescence and PPG signals. An integrated filter reliably blocks UV excitation while allowing the detection of visible and infrared light. Various optical measurements can thus be conducted in a single system without significant mutual interference, ensuring high measurement accuracy.

Prevention and health trajectories in focus
The key benefit of such systems lies in the enrichment of established vital signs with additional insights. Short-term measurements still provide the necessary overview of the current state, while long-term indicators allow for a more informed interpretation of changes over time.

This opens up new possibilities for wearables, home care, and other near-patient applications — particularly in prevention-oriented settings that demand a broader view of long-term health trends. 

You can find information on the product portfolio for vital sign monitoring here.