Thursday, March 21, 2024
NEC Corporation and Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) have jointly developed an innovative technology aimed at assisting individuals with chronic non-specific lower back pain (CLBP) in managing their condition through self-care. This technology leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze image and interview data captured using smart devices. By doing so, it facilitates easy monitoring of lower back health and provides tailored exercise recommendations, accessible anytime and anywhere. This collaborative effort integrates NEC's cutting-edge AI capabilities, including 2D/3D human pose estimation and abductive reasoning technologies, with TMDU's expertise in the medical field.
A significant feature of this technology is its ability to accurately estimate human pose even when images are captured from various angles using smartphones or tablets. Conventional methods often suffer from inaccuracies due to distorted skeletal structures caused by different shooting angles. Furthermore, the technology evaluates the condition of individual body parts with precision based on image analysis. This involves assessing movements like forward bending, backward bending, and rotation, and determining factors such as joint flexion levels. Unlike traditional approaches, which rely solely on skeletal information, this system considers the relationship between body parts and back shape to provide more accurate evaluations.
Another key aspect of the technology is its rapid identification of potential causes of CLBP. This process involves analyzing individual attributes such as age, gender, lifestyle, and observable symptoms to pinpoint potential issues from a kinematic perspective. Conventional inference techniques often require several hours to identify the cause due to the vast number of combinations involved. However, NEC's proprietary abductive reasoning technology, utilizing a Satisfiability Assessment Problem (SAT) solver, streamlines this process significantly, enabling quicker diagnosis and personalized recommendations.
Moving forward, NEC and TMDU plan to validate the effectiveness of this technology through testing at an NEC care center in Tokyo and other facilities during fiscal 2024. Furthermore, they aim to expand the application of this AI-driven solution beyond CLBP to address issues related to neck and shoulder disorders. This collaborative effort represents a significant advancement in leveraging AI for improving self-care and management of chronic lower back pain, offering promise for enhanced patient outcomes and quality of life.
