Panasonic has joined the bandwagon of technologies capable of measuring heart rate with its Contactless Vital Sensing camera.

Existing devices that are currently used to read heart rates include smartwatches, chest straps, and other specialized equipment. However, the Panasonic camera works with a software that monitors an individual's skin to checks the rate of blood circulation in the body.

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According to Nikkei, lower skin reflectance means there is increased blood circulation. Blood vessel constriction caused by brain waves affects the amount of light absorbed by the blood. The device's software is capable of sensing brain wave activity to measure heart rate.

This technology was introduced and demoed at the Wonder Japan Solutions last month. The company said that the device can work on skin from any body part.

"It is possible to use not only a face but also any area where skin can be seen," Panasonic stated. "We used a face because it is the area where the skin was more exposed than in any other part of the person on video."

The software can measure heart rate either through a video recording or a still shot. The company also boasted that even a normal webcam or camera can deliver accurate results. "We realized an accuracy equivalent to that of a measurement that uses medical devices," the statement said.

This is not the first technology that claims to read heart rate through skin assessment. Last year, Startup Oxehealth introduced the "Microblushes" system that has an accuracy at par with medical equipment.

Panasonic aims to deliver the Contactless Vital Sensing camera to the market by 2018 and use it on sports TV. The company is also looking at the possibility of introducing the product to working environments to assess laborers' stress levels.