Technology is constantly evolving in its uses, from making life more convenient to more recently aiding in healthcare. Like virtual reality, artificial intelligence (AI) has now found its way into healthcare, thanks to Spotify founder Daniel Ek. As revealed through a post on LinkedIn, Ek is named co-founder of a startup called Neko Health, which specializes in providing body scans that are powered by Ai.
In a post on LinkedIn, the startup described its body scans as “an extensive examination of health.” Although its initial aims are at those with skin and heart concerns, records obtained from the scan cover a range of cardiological measurements, from blood pressure and oxygen saturation to arterial stiffness and heart rate.
Launched after four years of research and development, Neko Health’s vision is to;
“create a healthcare system that can help people stay healthy through preventive measures and early detection.”
Neko Health: Preventive Healthcare
It is well known that “prevention is better than cure”, and Neko Health aims to make this a possibility. They are working to change the classically reactive healthcare model, which is defined as waiting for symptoms before proceeding with treatment.
“Current healthcare systems and primary care processes were designed over half a century ago – and have barely changed since… and we need to find a way to reverse this trend,” Ek shared in a statement.
A major problem that Neko Health is trying to solve is the lack of time and resources available to health professionals, which is very important in the focus on preventive care. In order for it to be possible, it is essential to prioritize early detection.
Early Detection
“Early detection and prevention of serious illness would mean that we can avoid both the human suffering and the high social costs that serious illness entails,” says Hjalmar Nilsonne. Nilsonne is the co-founder and CEO of Neko Care, further emphasizing the importance of early detection.
Early detection ensures successful treatment with a lower risk of adverse effects, and as Nilsonne says, “with (this) technology and Ai, that future is now a possibility.”
NekoHealth
Through early detection, health scans act as a proactive tool in improving health outcomes, through data-driven preventative measures.
We see this through the recording of health data obtained from full-body scans through the accompanying app. This app is interactive, allowing the user to track their health trends and any changes that may occur.
A Passion for Health
This isn’t a new interest for the Spotify founder. He has expressed a personal interest in improving the state of healthcare for many years, with him even investing in the Swedish telehealth platform, Kry. Kry allows you to consult qualified healthcare professionals within minutes, from the comfort of your phone.
Some details of this technology are unclear due to the startup’s declining press interviews. However, its marketing is on the premise of providing technology with “the latest advances in sensors and AI”.
However, with over 70 sensors that can record “50 million data points and 15 GB of patients’ health data in minutes,” it has cemented itself as an innovation in the healthcare system. Its press release revealed that the cost for the scan is SEK 1500 (around $140) for a limited time, while the full price is reportedly SEK 2000.
MAIN IMAGE CREDIT: NEKOHEALTH.COM
References
- Yu, K.H., Beam, A.L. and Kohane, I.S., 2018. Artificial intelligence in healthcare. Nature biomedical engineering, 2(10), pp.719-731.
- Shaheen, M.Y., 2021. Applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare: A review. ScienceOpen Preprints.
