At just 14 years of age, Siddarth Nandyala has developed an application for detecting heart disease that can swiftly recognize early indications of cardiovascular problems. The application, named Circadian AI, may serve as a significant asset for timely intervention, particularly in areas where healthcare access is scarce.
Although heart disease remains the top cause of mortality globally, early warning signs often go overlooked. This is largely due to the reliance on invasive tests, sophisticated imaging, or expensive procedures that aren’t available to everyone. Such delays can be life-threatening, as many people only realize their condition after experiencing a stroke or heart attack.
However, Nandyala aimed to tackle this issue by creating an economical, non-invasive method for screening heart irregularities before serious problems occur. As reported by Smithsonian Magazine, Circadian AI utilizes the microphone of a smartphone to capture the heartbeat of the user. The audio is subsequently refined through advanced noise-canceling technology and analyzed in the cloud using a machine learning algorithm.
In a matter of seconds, the app discerns patterns associated with arrhythmias, heart valve problems, early indications of heart failure, or coronary artery disease. The user interface provides a summary that outlines any detected irregularities and recommends additional testing when necessary.
Of course, this does not serve as a complete substitute for medical devices such as ECGs. Nevertheless, it functions as an efficient pre-screening instrument for raising awareness early on. The app has been trialed in clinical environments, with approximately 15,000 participants involved in studies in the United States, alongside another 3,500 in India.
In both instances, this straightforward app identified indicators of heart disease with an accuracy exceeding 96%. The findings were subsequently validated through standard diagnostic techniques. Currently, the app is restricted to trained professionals while it undergoes regulatory assessment and clinical verification.
Nonetheless, Nandyala is already pursuing the expansion of this heart disease detection app to include the identification of lung-related conditions like pneumonia and pulmonary embolism through similar sound analysis techniques. This represents yet another avenue through which AI has aided in the discovery of novel methods for detecting life-threatening diseases.
