Measuring a patient’s pulse, breathing, and blood pressure by scanning their face with an AI camera could be the future of infection diagnosis.
Infection severity is assessed based on the main signs of an individual’s physical condition. These signs are measured using several different instruments. However, by combining camera technology, software, and AI, this new tool could produce equivalent results to other technologies by scanning a patient’s face for 30 seconds.
In a new thesis, the University of Gothenburg developed an AI camera-based method that was clinically tested on more than 200 patients with suspected COVID-19 and was shown to improve both severity assessment and diagnosis.
Promising results using the AI camera
The AI camera provided data on patients’ heart rate, oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, and blood pressure. The results were described as promising but require further validation in terms of measurement accuracy.
“The new AI method means that measurements are faster, more convenient for the patient, easier for the healthcare provider, and involve less risk of infections being spread via measuring equipment,” Stefan Malmberg, the author of the thesis, said. “This type of research is crucial for the development of new healthcare technologies.”
New technology is needed for time-effective diagnosis
Individuals with sore throats, coughs, and fever make up a large group of patients who visit healthcare facilities. In many cases, these infections are self-healing, but there are serious and potentially life-threatening conditions that start with similar symptoms, such as COVID-19 and pneumonia. It is important to assess severity quickly and offer effective treatment if required whilst not prescribing antibiotics unnecessarily.
New technologies such as an AI camera could help quickly assess and diagnose patients, as opposed to current diagnosis tools. Additionally, quickly diagnosing patients means that fewer antibiotic prescriptions are given out to those who do not require them, and the correct treatment can be prescribed. The overuse of antibiotics has caused antibiotic resistance, meaning that drugs are becoming less effective against certain infections because of antibiotic use when it is unnecessary.
“Finding the needle in the haystack is important when it comes to infectious diseases,” continued Stefan. “Most people don’t benefit from antibiotics, but in the case of serious infections, timely and appropriate treatment can save lives.”
