Advance ForSee
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Advanced ForSee
Within Eindhoven MedTech Innovation Center (e/MTIC), Catharina Hospital, Philips, and Eindhoven University of Technology are working on a groundbreaking innovation in cardiac care: monitoring vital signs using cameras.
The Advance-ForSee research project, uses advanced camera technology combined with artificial intelligence (AI) to more accurately predict the recovery of heart patients. This follow-up project brings the development and implementation of this technology one step closer to hospital usage.
A camera with special software monitors patients in bed and records vital signs.
This way, the researchers hope to detect deterioration more quickly and better predict post-operative recovery without complications. This could shorten the length of stay. This is the next step in healthcare innovation, says researcher and cardiologist in training . We are developing an algorithm that continuously analyzes the camera images and predicts when risks arise. In cardiac surgery, this can make all the difference in preventing complications and thus promoting recovery. This study (Advance ForSee) builds on previous research, in which the technology demonstrated that heart rate and respiratory rate can be reliably measured via cameras, while maintaining patient privacy. The algorithm is capable of analyzing patient images down to the pixel level, making patients unrecognizable. In this new study, this technology is not only being further refined but is now being implemented in the cardiac departments of the Catharina Hospital.
Measuring vital signs with a camera
Van Steenbergen: 鈥淲e will now apply and improve the technology we developed in the initial study in several patient rooms. We will continuously measure vital signs, without nurses having to perform manual measurements. This creates more time for direct patient care.鈥� Artificial intelligence and machine learning are at the heart of the innovation.
The cameras continuously record vital signs, after which AI recognizes patterns and trends that can indicate a deterioration with a risk of complications, or a recovery without complications.
By detecting a patient's deterioration earlier, treatment can be initiated sooner. This contributes to a faster recovery and allows a patient to return home safely sooner.
(Picture: Gijs van Steenbergen)
Deciding on Length of Stay
鈥淲e want the system to not only measure what's happening now, but also predict what might happen,鈥� says Van Steenbergen. 鈥淭his gives doctors and nurses a powerful tool to intervene earlier and make better decisions about the expected length of stay.鈥� Ultimately, the system should indicate which patients need more intensive monitoring and those whose recovery is progressing very well. The use of cameras in a healthcare environment naturally raises privacy concerns. The project team emphasizes that strict requirements are being met and that patients were extensively involved in the design of the study. 鈥淭he camera footage is not stored and is fully anonymized,鈥� explains Van Steenbergen.
鈥淭he cameras only record the parts of the body needed to measure vital signs. So, it never involves recognizable faces or identifiable characteristics. Furthermore, we've installed a privacy hatch in the patient rooms. This allows patients to choose to temporarily stop the monitoring, for example, during care.鈥� This project demonstrates what's possible when technicians, physicians, and researchers work together.
Technology doesn't replace the caregiver, but rather humanizes care by reclaiming time and attention for the patient. It's exciting to see how this technology can transform healthcare, says Van Steenbergen. We hope we can make a real impact. Not just for heart patients, but ultimately for healthcare as a whole.
Collaboration as a driver of innovation
Advance ForSee is a project within the e/MTIC collaboration, carried out by Catharina Hospital, Philips, and Eindhoven University of Technology, supported by a grant from ZonMW. By combining medical, technological, and scientific expertise, we are creating an innovation that can be applied across the entire healthcare sector.
It is essential to develop these kinds of innovations in close collaboration with clinical partners and to carefully validate them in practice. This makes it possible to advance technology in a responsible and well-founded manner and integrate it into the clinical workflow.
(Picture: Arthur Bouwman and a patient)