A new contactless system that can detect a dangerous heart condition using radio waves and artificial intelligence has been introduced by scientists.
This system could help doctors find atrial fibrillation earlier, even before symptoms appear or a diagnosis is made using standard medical tools. The findings were recently published in the journal Nature Communications.
Atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib, is a common heart rhythm problem. When a person has AFib, their heart beats in an irregular and often very fast way. This can lead to serious health problems like stroke, heart failure, and even death. Usually, AFib is diagnosed using a test called an electrocardiogram, or ECG.
This test records the heart’s electrical signals and helps doctors see if there is anything wrong with the heartbeat. However, this test is often done only when a patient has symptoms or goes in for a check-up. That means AFib can go unnoticed in its early stages, and important chances to treat it early might be missed.
To help solve this problem, Yan Chen and a group of researchers developed a new system that does not require any physical contact with the patient. It works by using radar technology to pick up the small movements of the chest caused by the beating heart. These movements are very subtle, but the radar can detect them.
Then, the system uses artificial intelligence, specifically a neural network, to study the data. This AI model has been trained to recognize patterns similar to what doctors see in ECGs, and it uses that knowledge to figure out if the heart is showing signs of AFib.
The researchers tested their system on more than 6,200 patients who were going through routine 30-second ECG checks. Among these patients, 229 had been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. The results showed that the contactless system could detect AFib with accuracy similar to the traditional ECG test. In other words, it worked very well.
The team also tested the system during sleep. They monitored 27 people overnight to see if the system could catch the beginning or presence of AFib while the patients were resting. The system showed it could do this too, which is important because many AFib episodes happen at night when people are not aware of them.
Even though the system has only been tested in situations where the person is not moving much, like during sleep or rest, the results are very promising. This technology might be used in daily life in the future—for example, in a bedroom or a living room—without needing the person to wear any device or go to the hospital.
In reviewing the study, it’s clear that this new technology has the potential to change the way we detect heart rhythm problems.
Right now, many people with early signs of AFib are not diagnosed until the condition gets worse. By using this new contactless system, doctors might be able to find and treat AFib earlier. That could save lives and reduce serious health risks.
However, more studies are needed to see if the system works as well when people are moving around, like during daily activities.
Also, testing the system in more real-life situations will help confirm if it’s ready to be used outside the clinic. Still, this early research offers hope for a safer and easier way to catch this common and dangerous heart condition early.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about top 10 foods for a healthy heart, and how to eat right for heart rhythm disorders.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how to eat your way to cleaner arteries, and salt and heart health: does less really mean more?
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