IMAGINE a smartphone app that could spot a stroke faster than you can find your keys in the morning.
A team of biomedical engineers at RMIT University has developed a face-screening tool that could help paramedics identify strokes in seconds, saving precious brain cells and, ultimately, lives.
Led by PhD scholar Guilherme Camargo de Oliveira, the team created this nifty app, which is 82% accurate, under the watchful eye of RMIT's Prof Dinesh Kumar.
"Early stroke detection is critical, and many times the signs are very subtle," said Kumar.
"On top of that, if first responders are working with people who are not their race or gender - most notably women and people of colour - it is more likely that signs will be missed.
"This rate can be even higher in smaller regional centres.
"Given that many strokes occur at home and initial care is often provided by first responders in non-ideal conditions, there is an urgent need for real-time, user-friendly diagnostic tools," he explained.
"So we made a simple smartphone tool that paramedics can use.
"It's like having a mini neurologist in your pocket."
With the innovative app, paramedics can quickly alert hospitals before the ambulance even hits the road.
Next up, the team plans to expand the app to detect other neurological conditions.
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