CUHK turns to DeepSeek to develop wearable blood pressure monitor

Cheng Wong

The Chinese University of Hong Kong has developed an artificial intelligence blood pressure management system, making it the first wearable technology integrated with DeepSeek.

The "Personalized AI doctor Dr. PAI" system combined with wearable devices enables round-the-clock health monitoring, providing data such as precise blood pressure and heart rate.

It offers an innovative solution for chronic disease management and addresses the growing global challenge of hypertension, the university said.

The beta version of Dr. PAI is currently undergoing clinical trials and is expected to be officially launched by the end of this year.

As of July 2024, the World Health Organization reports that the number of hypertension patients worldwide has reached 1.3 billion and is still increasing.

Chronic hypertension significantly raises the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and premature death. Many patients, especially in low- and middle-income countries and rural areas, often go undiagnosed and untreated due to a lack of noticeable symptoms.

Professor Zhang Yuanting from CUHK's department of electronic engineering led a research team to create Dr. PAI through wearable monitoring devices and AI technology, offering 24-hour monitoring and tracking of dynamic blood pressure changes and heart rate variability.

"Dr. PAI is the first blood pressure management system that combines wearable technology with DeepSeek to conduct a comprehensive analysis and personalized management of chronic diseases such as hypertension," he said.

"With its powerful natural language processing capabilities, it can 'communicate' with patients like a real doctor, analyze long-term communication records and incorporate daily monitoring data to provide more reliable diagnostic references and treatment recommendations for patients and healthcare professionals."

Zhang added that the open-source model features a lightweight AI architecture for low-computation devices, allowing free access for people in rural and remote areas, promoting equitable health access and reducing long-term healthcare burdens.

cheng.wong@singtaonewscorp.com