Key points
- The device takes and analyses around 1,800 images per minute
- It detects fluid build-up in the feet and ankles
- AI scanner is designed to be mounted on a wall
ISLAMABAD: A new AI-powered foot scanner could soon help heart failure patients monitor their condition from home, potentially reducing hospital admissions.
The device, developed by Cambridge-based start-up Heartfelt Technologies, takes and analyses around 1,800 images per minute — similar to facial recognition technology — to detect fluid build-up in the feet and ankles, a condition known as oedema, according to Sky News.
Oedema is one of the three main warning signs that heart failure is worsening and may become life-threatening.
Roughly the size of a smart speaker, the AI scanner is designed to be mounted on a wall, typically beside a patient’s bed. It scans only up to 50cm from the floor, taking images of the lower leg from multiple angles.
Importantly, the device does not rely on Wi-Fi to function and can automatically alert healthcare professionals if it detects early signs of deterioration, enabling timely intervention such as adjusting medication.
Issuing alerts
Findings from “The Foot Study,” presented at the British Cardiovascular Society’s annual conference in Manchester, showed that the device could issue alerts an average of 13 days before hospitalisation would otherwise occur.
The study involved 26 patients from five NHS trusts between 2020 and 2022, who also used Bluetooth-enabled scales to weigh themselves.
Among them, six patients experienced seven episodes of worsening heart failure, and one patient sadly died from the condition.
For those monitored for at least two weeks before a warning was triggered, the average lead time before hospital admission was 13 days. When considering all five warning signals identified by the device, the average lead time was eight days.
AI scanner
In comparison, monitoring through weight scales failed to predict any heart failure-related hospital admissions. Researchers suggested this may be due to patients’ difficulties in maintaining consistent tracking of their weight, whereas the AI scanner requires no active input.
This early warning capability allows heart specialists to intervene promptly, potentially avoiding hospital stays.
Dr Philip Keeling, senior author of the study and consultant cardiologist at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Only around half of patients admitted with heart failure currently receive an early review by a heart failure nurse to assess for fluid build-up caused by impaired heart function.”
“In the current climate of heart failure nurse shortages, a device like this could act as a virtual nurse, monitoring patients’ health.”
Chronic condition
Heart failure is a chronic condition in which the heart is too weak or stiff to effectively pump blood around the body. It affects an estimated 920,000 people in the UK.
The three primary indicators of worsening heart failure are increased breathlessness, weight gain, and swelling in the legs or ankles.
Commenting on the study, Professor Bryan Williams, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the British Heart Foundation, said: “This small study suggests that a simple device could significantly improve outcomes for at-risk heart failure patients by helping keep them out of hospital.
“It’s a strong example of how technology could support earlier diagnosis and treatment by enabling individuals to track a vital sign of heart health from the comfort of their own homes.”
