Novel iPad App Augurs Technologies to Come

A novel app for the Apple (Cupertino, CA, USA) iPad 2 can determine heart rate and respiratory rate using the tablet camera to sense small changes in color and movement.

The Vital Signs Camera App uses the tablet camera to sense small changes in facial color, indicative of changes in blood flow, to determine actual heart rate. Respiratory rate is determined using the tablet camera to track the movement of the chest during breathing. The technology was developed by Royal Philips Electronics (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) over a period of three years. Advanced algorithms were developed to extract multiple parameters from real time video images, drawing on in-house expertise in optics, video, and signal processing.

To ensure a good measurement, the iPad 2 should be placed on a stable surface in front of the person, who then positions his or her face and chest inside marked areas, remaining still during the measurement period. It is possible to switch from one-time measurement to continuous measurement and storage of the results; it is also possible share the results with your friends via Facebook, Twitter, or e-mail. The Vital Signs Camera App is not intended for diagnosis, clinical monitoring, or decision making, and the measurements and statistics are provided for entertainment purposes only.

“As long as you sit still and aren't wearing bulky clothing, it can figure out your vital signs in a few seconds with surprising accuracy,” wrote the digital journal MacNewsWorld in a review of the new app. “More than anything else, it may be more of a demonstration of technologies we'll soon be seeing used by actual medical pros.”

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