Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Researchers have developed a groundbreaking hearing aid powered by artificial intelligence. It can detect three heart diseases in just 15 seconds.
The new headset, created by researchers from Imperial College London and its affiliated hospital, has the remarkable ability to analyze heart rate and blood flow simultaneously. This enables it to perform an electrocardiogram at the same time.
The researchers are thrilled to announce that this innovative device can instantly detect heart failure, heart valve disease, and heart rhythm disorders.
The details of this groundbreaking invention were unveiled at the annual conference of the European Society of Cardiology in Madrid.
A study conducted by researchers involved 12,000 patients from 200 public clinics across the United Kingdom.
The trial focused on patients exhibiting symptoms such as shortness of breath and fatigue.
The results revealed that patients who underwent the examination with this stethoscope were twice as likely to be diagnosed with heart failure. This is in comparison to those who did not undergo the examination.
Furthermore, patients who underwent the examination were three times more likely to be diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. They were also twice as likely to be diagnosed with heart valve disease as other patients.
Instant results with artificial intelligence
Patrick Bakhtiger, a researcher from Imperial College London, remarked that the design of the headset has remained unchanged for over two centuries, until now.
It’s remarkable that a smart speaker can be utilized for a 15-second scan.
The AI system promptly provides an immediate result. It indicates whether the individual has heart failure, atrial fibrillation, or heart valve disease.
The device, manufactured by EcoHealth in California, is approximately the size of a playing card.
It’s placed on the patient’s chest to record an electrocardiogram. Meanwhile, a microphone captures the sound of blood pumping from the heart.
Following the examination, this information is transmitted to an electronic cloud. It is used for artificial intelligence analysis and detection of any potential issues.
The test results are subsequently sent to the smartphone. This helps determine if the patient is at risk of developing any of the three conditions.
However, it’s important to note that the results of these tests may not always be accurate. Some individuals may falsely report experiencing one of these conditions while they are actually healthy.
The researchers emphasized the need to utilize this headset in patients who are experiencing symptoms.
They clarified that it’s not intended for routine examinations of healthy individuals.
