Smartphone app to spot stroke symptoms instantly

A new smartphone application is likely to help people who are having a stroke or their family and caregivers could recognise common stroke symptoms in real time, prompting them to quickly call healthcare providers.

Called FAST.AI, the app could be as accurate at diagnosing stroke as a neurologist, which could minimise the long-term effects of a stroke and improve chances for a full recovery, preliminary research suggests.

FAST.AI is a fully automated smartphone application for detection of severe stroke using machine learning algorithms to recognise facial asymmetry (drooping of the muscles in the face), arm weakness and speech changes — all common stroke symptoms.

The smartphone application uses a facial video of the patient to examine 68 facial landmark points; sensors that measure arm movement and orientation; and voice recordings detect speech changes. Information from each test was sent to a database server for analysis.

The analysis found that the smart phone app accurately detected stroke-associated facial asymmetry in nearly 100 per cent of patients. Further, the app accurately detected arm weakness in more than two-thirds of the cases.

The findings of the study are set to be presented at the American Stroke Associationa’s International Stroke Conference 2023 in Dallas, the US, from February 8-10.