Now AI can measure blood pressure from a patient’s face
Xim, the company responsible for the device, has been collaborating with the NHS in trial runs since 2019, asserting that their technology is now as precise as the conventional inflatable cuff used to measure blood pressure
An artificial intelligence-powered software designed to measure an individual's blood pressure may soon see widespread implementation through Lifelight — a device developed by a company situated at the Southampton University Science Park.
During trials conducted in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, patients were asked to look at a tablet screen, which then swiftly captured their blood pressure in just 40 seconds.
Xim, the company responsible for Lifelight, has been collaborating with the NHS in trial runs since 2019, asserting that their technology is now as precise as the conventional inflatable cuff used to measure blood pressure. The company is optimistic that this contactless technology will become accessible for patients to use in the comfort of their homes, through their tablets and smartphones.
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According to BBC, David Petronzio, Head of Software Engineering at Lifelight, explained that the tablet's camera detects variations in colour — referred to as 'microblushes' — on a patient's face, which correspond with each heartbeat. After that, artificial intelligence is employed to convert this data into information about blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration. The trials were conducted at Thornhill Baptist Church in Southampton and Paulsgrove Surgery in Portsmouth.
Dr Lindsay Welch, from the Wessex Academic Health Science Network, told BBC that they are focusing on five 'critical' locations where individuals do not receive routine cardiovascular assessments.
Statistics provided by Public Health England reveal that 43% of individuals with hypertension in the UK remain undiagnosed.
"High blood pressure is common and often doesn't have any symptoms. This initiative will help us to make tests even more accessible and provide innovative care to our patients," BBC quoted general practitioner Dr Karen Kyd as saying.
