AI technology is set to upgrade blood pressure tests
A new software that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to measure a person’s blood pressure could be distributed across England.
An organisation known as Xim, which is based on the Southampton University Science Park, have created a new software called Lifelight which reads people’s blood pressure who do not regularly attend NHS appointments.
Xim began trialling the service with the NHS in 2019 at Thornhill Baptist Church in Southampton and Paulsgrove surgery in Portsmouth. Since testing the software, Xim have claimed that it is already as accurate as the traditional test which includes an inflatable cuff.
David Petronzio, an expert involved in creating the technology, said it works by a camera on the tablet detecting colour changes in a person’s face, known as ‘microblushes’, which occur every time their heart beats.
Following this, AI is then used to translate the information into blood pressure, heart rate and respiration data.
Following the success of the trials, Xim have said they hope the technology will be made available to use at home on patients smart phones or tablets.
The trials of the software were carried out in Southampton and Portsmouth as Dr Lindsey Welch, from Wessex Academic Health Science Network, said they are targeting five ‘key’ places where people don’t have regular cardiovascular checks.
She said that these are ‘places where people are often struggling with money and have lots of other complex illnesses and social problems.’
Dr Karen Kyd, a GP from Portsmouth Group Practice, said: ‘High blood pressure is common and often doesn’t have any symptons.’
However, Dr Kyd added that if high blood pressures was ‘Left untreated it can cause serious health problems including strokes, heart attacks, kidney disease and dementia, so it’s especially important to take the time to get a simple check. Support can be offered to bring the blood pressure under control.’
Image: CDC