A Cambridge firm turning earbuds into health monitors has raised £1.5m funding.

auryx says that a year ago, its tech – to turn everyday devices, starting with earbuds, into continuous health monitors using sound – was a pub conversation.

Now it is using machine learning to turn regular existing earbuds into health and fitness sensors, tracking heart rate, HRV, respiration and advanced cardiovascular parameters.

The microphones inside the devices people wear every day can pick up signals from the heart, lungs and blood flow, it says, but none of that information is being used today.

The round was led by Celero Ventures, with participation from EWOR, Cambridge Enterprise Ventures, Vento, PurposeTech, Playfair, ET Capital Limited and a syndicate of angel investors.