Xerox‘s latest contribution to the world of healthcare could give doctors and patients an easier way to detect and monitor the most common type of arrhythmia using a basic webcam.
The technology company built software algorithms that analyze the skin on the face for subtle color changes that could indicate irregular blood flow caused by atrial fibrillation. A new paper published in Heart Rhythm explains how proof-of-concept was established in a pilot project at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.
Nearly 3 million Americans are thought to be living with atrial fibrillation, which occurs when the upper and lower chambers of the heart beat out of sync. Although it can be readily diagnosed and treated, it often goes undetected because symptoms are too general and may come and go. Leaving AF untreated doubles risk of heart-related deaths and quadruples risk for stroke.
Xerox’s test uses sensors in a webcam to do a 15-second scan of a person’s face and look for high levels of hemoglobin in the bloodstream, which absorbs more of the green spectrum of light, University of Rochester says. Because skin is thinner on the face, it’s an ideal place to look.
The pilot study compared results from the test with electrocardiogram readings in 11 people with atrial fibrillation and found a comparable error rate between the two. University of Rochester says its researchers are now conducting larger studies with both healthy and AF volunteers.
See the study here, or read more from the University of Rochester here.
[Image credit: Flickr user dgbury]
