UniSA develops baby detector software embedded in digital camera

Researchers at the University of South Australia have designed a computer vision system that can automatically detect a tiny baby’s face in a hospital bed and remotely monitor its vital signs from a digital camera with the same accuracy as an electrocardiogram machine

Using artificial intelligence-based software to detect human faces is now common with adults, but this is the first time that researchers have developed software to reliably detect a premature baby’s face and skin when covered in tubes, clothing, and undergoing phototherapy.

Engineering researchers and a neonatal critical care specialist from UniSA remotely monitored heart and respiratory rates of seven infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Flinders Medical Centre in Adelaide, using a digital camera.

One of the lead researchers, UniSA Professor Javaan Chahl, stated that babies in neonatal intensive care can be extra difficult for computers to recognise because their faces and bodies are obscured by tubes and other medical equipment. Many premature babies are being treated with phototherapy for jaundice, so they are under bright blue lights, which also makes it challenging for computer vision systems.

The ‘baby detector’ was developed using a dataset of videos of babies in NICU to reliably detect their skin tone and faces. Vital sign readings matched those of an electrocardiogram (ECG) and in some cases appeared to outperform the conventional electrodes, endorsing the value of non-contact monitoring of pre-term babies in intensive care.

The study is part of an ongoing UniSA project to replace contact-based electrical sensors with non-contact video cameras, avoiding skin tearing and potential infections that adhesive pads can cause to babies’ fragile skin.

Infants were filmed with high-resolution cameras at close range and vital physiological data was extracted using advanced signal processing techniques that can detect subtle colour changes from heartbeats and body movements not visible to the human eye.

UniSA neonatal critical care specialist Kim Gibson says using neural networks to detect the faces of babies is a significant breakthrough for non-contact monitoring. In the NICU setting, it is very challenging to record clear videos of premature babies. There are many obstructions, and the lighting can also vary, so getting accurate results can be difficult. However, the detection model has performed beyond our expectations.

Worldwide, more than 10 per cent of babies are born prematurely and due to their vulnerability, their vital signs need to be monitored continuously. Traditionally, this has been done with adhesive electrodes placed on the skin that can be problematic, and we believe non-contact monitoring is the way forward.

Professor Chahl says the results are particularly relevant given the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for physical distancing. In 2020, the UniSA team developed world-first technology, now used in commercial products sold by North American a company, that measures adults’ vital signs to screen for symptoms of COVID-19.

The results have been published in the Journal of Imaging.

The global diagnostic imaging market is projected to reach US$35.0 billion by 2026 from US$26.6 billion in 2021, at a CAGR of 5.7% from 2021 to 2026. The growth of this market is primarily driven by the increasing demand for early disease diagnosis and widening scope of clinical applications, rapidly growing geriatric population and the subsequent increase in the prevalence of associated diseases, technological advancements in the diagnostic imaging industry, and increasing investments, funds, and grants by public-private organisations.

By:  Alita Sharon

From:  https://opengovasia.com/unisa-develops-baby-detector-software-embedded-in-digital-camera