Imagine a blood test without a needle or a drop of blood—now a reality thanks to a groundbreaking AI-powered tool developed in India.
What It Does
Called Quick Vitals, this innovative app enables health assessments in under a minute simply by scanning a person’s face in a well-lit room. The scan uses photoplethysmography (PPG)—a technique that detects tiny changes in light absorption by your skin to analyze health indicators. The app can instantly estimate:
- Blood pressure
- Hemoglobin A1c (average blood glucose)
- Heart rate and respiratory rate
- Oxygen saturation (SpO₂)
- Stress levels (sympathetic vs. parasympathetic activity)
- Heart rate variability (HRV)
- Cholesterol levels
- Pulse-respiratory quotient (PRQ)
Launch and Impact
Initially introduced in 2024 at Niloufer Hospital, Hyderabad, the tool helped identify low iron levels in pregnant women—promptly flagging anemia and facilitating timely treatment. Its potential impact is particularly significant in rural or tribal areas of India, where sample collection and sterile infrastructure are major challenges. Developers are planning to roll out the app in Maharashtra and beyond.
Technology Behind It
The app employs computer vision and AI algorithms alongside PPG data from reflected light captured by a smartphone sensor. As Harish Bism, founder of Bism Pharmaceuticals, explains: when light penetrates the skin and reflects back, the phone’s sensors collect the data. The app then processes it to derive precise health readings.
Accuracy & Practical Considerations
Traditional lab tests can show up to ~7% variability—even from different labs—for parameters like hemoglobin or blood pressure. The World Health Organization considers a 7% margin acceptable for hemoglobin, and the American Heart Association allows up to 10% variation for blood pressure—standards this AI-based method aims to match. Optimal results require stable lighting (natural or artificial) and steady positioning of the phone during scanning.
Broader Applications & Safety
Beyond anemia screening, experts see strong potential for Quick Vitals in public health programs such as:
- National child health schemes
- Adult wellness programs
- Adolescent health initiatives
- Non‑communicable disease (NCD) screenings
Plans are underway to integrate the app with primary healthcare centers and platforms like Ayushman Bharat. Regarding data security, the app supports multi-user access and safeguards patients’ medical information to ensure only authorized healthcare providers can view it.
Summary
India’s first AI-based, needle-free blood test—the Quick Vitals app—can assess vital health parameters in under a minute by scanning the face. Launched in early trials at Hyderabad’s Niloufer Hospital, it’s now being considered for wider deployment, especially in hard-to-reach areas. Its underlying technology, PPG imaging, turns light reflections into accurate readings using AI. With potential integration into national healthcare programs and a focus on data safety, this tool could revolutionize how diagnostics are done—making them faster, easier, and more accessible for all.
