New AI tools make disease detection accessible to everyone.

Artificial intelligence technologies are seeking to transform healthcare by providing tools for self-examination and early disease detection that go beyond smartwatches and rings to include headphones that monitor brain activity and applications that analyze iris images to detect early indicators of serious diseases.

Neurabel CEO Ramses Alcaid says that preventive medicine is not achieving the desired results today because many people do not want to visit the doctor regularly for checkups. He added, “What if people knew exactly when they needed to?”

Smart health monitoring devices

The recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, USA, featured a large number of smart rings, bracelets, and watches capable of monitoring health indicators such as heart rate, blood pressure, and sugar levels with varying degrees of accuracy.

These tools appear to be meeting a growing public demand, as a recent study published by OpenAI showed that more than 200 million internet users consult ChatGBT weekly on health issues.

In this context, the company headed by Sam Altman launched the “Chat GBT Health” application, which relies on the user’s medical records – after obtaining his consent – in addition to data collected by connected device applications.

Headphones that monitor brain activity

Based on electroencephalography (EEG), Neurabel has developed a headset capable of recording and analyzing brain activity. The currently available model can detect slowdowns in brain activity and suggest rest periods for the user.

The company is also working on developing another version aimed at improving the performance of esports players, along with a feature that compares current data with the user’s health record, which may reveal any deviations that could indicate a potential health problem.

Alcaid points out that some devices, such as the Apple Watch, can diagnose Parkinson’s disease, “but often after physical symptoms such as tremors have appeared,” while electroencephalography (EEG) allows for the detection of signs of the disease before symptoms appear.

He emphasizes that this technology does not provide a medical diagnosis, but rather an early warning that may alert the user to the possibility of developing depression, Alzheimer’s, or other diseases.

Scientific reservations and military uses

Some experts have reservations about the reliability of EEG devices intended for personal use. Anna Wexler, a professor specializing in consumer detection products at the University of Pennsylvania, says she does not believe there is currently “sufficient confidence” to detect signs of these diseases, but she acknowledges that artificial intelligence has “expanded the capabilities of these devices.”

In the same context, Neurabel is cooperating with the Ukrainian army to assess the mental health of soldiers returning from the front, as well as prisoners of war, and to detect the likelihood of developing post-traumatic stress disorder.

Devices for patients with epilepsy and Alzheimer’s

For its part, the French startup company (Naox) has developed headphones that rely on electroencephalography, connected to a small device designed for epilepsy patients.

Dr. Mark Filo, a specialist physician and head of innovation at the company, says the device detects short, abnormal electrical impulses in the brain known as “spikes,” which are indicators of epilepsy and are often more difficult to detect than the seizures themselves.

Naox headphones have received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration and are primarily used at night to collect data. The company is also collaborating with Rothschild and Lariboisière hospitals in Paris to study the relationship between these pulses and Alzheimer’s disease.

Iris scan

In a related context, the company (AreeHealth) is preparing to launch a small smartphone accessory priced at approximately $50, designed for iris photography.

The device is based on “irid science” technology, which is a subject of scientific debate, but the company’s founders assert its effectiveness in detecting disorders in the colon, with future plans to expand its use to include the lungs and liver.

Company spokesman Tommy Van says that AirHealth’s tests showed an accuracy rate of 81% in patients previously diagnosed with colon cancer.

Experts believe that the rapid developments in artificial intelligence have contributed to miniaturizing medical detection devices and eliminating the need for heavy equipment used in clinics and hospitals, while making them available at lower prices, which may open the door to widespread early disease detection.