Innovative AI Foot Scanner Aims to Reduce Heart Failure Hospitalizations

An innovative at-home device that utilizes advanced foot-recognition AI technology may significantly reduce hospitalizations for individuals suffering from heart failure. This groundbreaking research was unveiled at the British Cardiovascular Society conference held in Manchester.

Heart failure affects over a million individuals in the UK, and when not effectively managed through medication or lifestyle adjustments, it can lead to severe health complications necessitating hospitalization. The newly developed AI device is designed to detect early signs of worsening heart failure by monitoring fluid accumulation in the feet and ankles, known as edema. This condition is one of the critical indicators that heart failure is escalating to a life-threatening stage.

The device, which resembles a smart speaker in size, employs technology akin to facial recognition to analyze the feet and lower legs of users. It captures approximately 1,800 images per minute from various angles, allowing it to assess fluid volume accurately. According to the research supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), this scanner can provide alerts up to 13 days prior to a potential hospitalization event.

Developed by Heartfelt Technologies, a startup based in Cambridge, the device aims to serve as a virtual health assistant, continuously monitoring patients' conditions without requiring their active participation. By identifying worsening edema, the device can notify healthcare providers, enabling timely interventions such as medication adjustments that could prevent hospital admissions.

Dr. Philip Keeling, a consultant cardiologist involved in the study, emphasized the importance of the device in monitoring one of the primary warning signs of heart failure. Currently, only a fraction of patients admitted with heart failure receive early evaluations from specialized nurses. This device can help fill that gap, offering constant surveillance of patients' health in a way that alleviates the burden of self-monitoring.

The research, known as the FOOT study, monitored 26 patients across five NHS trusts, who were also tasked with tracking their weight as part of their heart failure management. Among those who used the scanner for at least two weeks before any medical intervention, three patients were hospitalized. The alerts generated by the device came between eight and 19 days before these hospitalizations, indicating its potential effectiveness in providing advance warning.

The foot scanner is conveniently installed near a bed, where it autonomously scans the lower legs and feet of users. The installation process is straightforward, requiring only a plug-in to function. This device can operate without an internet connection, making it accessible for elderly individuals who may not have internet access. In terms of privacy, the device is designed to scan only the lower legs, ensuring personal data remains secure.

Moreover, the FOOT study revealed that this AI technology outperformed conventional methods of monitoring weight for predicting hospitalizations. The scanner accurately identified five out of the six hospitalizations that occurred among participants, whereas traditional weight checks, which trigger alerts based on specific weight gain thresholds, failed to predict any of these instances.

At the conclusion of the six-month study, an impressive 82% of participants opted to continue using the device, indicating a high level of acceptance and perceived value in the technology. Edema is a critical signal of acute heart failure, indicating fluid retention due to the heart's inability to pump blood effectively, which can lead to severe health consequences if not addressed promptly.

With hospital stays averaging around ten days for heart failure patients, preventing such admissions is crucial both for patient health and for alleviating pressure on healthcare systems. The researchers plan to expand the testing of this innovative device to a larger patient cohort to further assess its efficacy and reliability.

As the device currently identifies an individual's feet among a hundred scanned, there are considerations for its use in larger settings such as care homes, where multiple individuals may be present. The development of this technology represents a significant step forward in heart health monitoring, potentially transforming care for patients at risk of heart failure.