In pursuit of further innovations in blood pressure management, OMRON Healthcare and Kyoto University established a new cooperation. Under the scope of this so-called "Healthcare Medical AI" program, they aim to develop methods for prevention of cardiovascular events.

Kyoto, Japan - OMRON Healthcare Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Muko-city, Kyoto, Japan, President & CEO: Isao Ogino) and Kyoto University (Sakyo-ku, Kyoto-city Kyoto, Japan, President: Nagahiro Minato) have announced to set up the Collaborative Research Program called ”Healthcare Medical AI” (Principal Researcher: Yasushi Okuno, Ph.D., Prof., Department of Biomedical Data Intelligence, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University) on June 1st. The Program uses artificial intelligence (AI) and an innovative data set of home measurements.

The first study in the program will explore how AI can derive new personalized blood pressure improvement methods based on both day- and night-time blood pressure fluctuation, home electrocardiography recordings and lifestyle data. The aim is to achieve further improvement of high blood pressure management. The studies will investigate how AI can accurately predict cardiovascular diseases at an early stage.

Hypertension is the leading cause of death globally¹. As cardiovascular diseases often result in requiring long-term nursing care, it is important to prevent events not only for the aspect of life risk but also in the light of maintaining quality of life. In Japan, approximately 43 million² people are hypertensive, of which 29% have been treated and poorly controlled their blood pressure values³. To prevent life threatening events, further solutions need to be developed for patients who are suffering from hypertension. Even if blood pressure values are properly controlled, there are still chances for patients to develop an event. Therefore, early detection and early intervention into the hypertension care should be highlighted so events can be predicted during daily healthcare management.

The collaboration between Kyoto University and OMRON Healthcare focuses on two research themes: The development of a novel blood pressure management method, and blood pressure analysis for early detection of cardiovascular events using AI. Regarding the novel blood pressure management method, the joint team will use AI technology to develop personalized blood pressure management by analyzing biological data sets (body weight, body composition, volume of activity and Na/K ratio⁴), and habits (smoking and drinking) daily. The team will develop a detection system of abnormal home measurement data as symptoms of cardiovascular events at an early stage.at an early stage. Since events occur unpredictably, early detection of the disease is one of the key challenges. By analyzing changes in various biological data sets points measured at home using AI technology, it will be possible to detect signs of events faster and with higher probability so that treatment can be adjusted, realizing the prevention of cardiovascular events.

In 2015, OMRON Healthcare announced its Going for Zero vision for its cardiovascular business, with the goal of achieving zero cardiovascular events, expanding its business domain from blood pressure measurement to innovative devices including a wearable blood pressure monitor, and healthcare management services. In the US, the UK and Singapore, new remote patient monitoring services have been launched. Under these new services, biological data sets, measured at home, can be shared with healthcare professionals, supporting them with better insight in their patients’ health conditions and required treatment plans, contributing to the Going for Zero vision.

The Program will unquestionably help us to proceed the Going for Zero vision of cardiovascular diseases by OMRON’s vital sensing technology with the help of AI of Kyoto University.

Yasushi Okuno, Ph.D., Prof., Department of Biomedical Data Intelligence, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.

Amid the global pandemic of COVID-19 and the increase of the risk of collapsing the healthcare systems, one of the urgent challenges is the development of medical systems outside of hospitals. This is directly associated with the issues, which we are going to face in the very near future, such as escalation of medical costs due to super-aged society and the decrease of healthcare workers. In this Collaborative Research Program ”Healthcare Medical AI”, we would like to explore the solutions of how to prevent the event risks and how to spend happier and healthier lives at home in collaboration with new type of healthcare system and AI studies.

Takehiro Hamaguchi, Senior General Manager of Technology Development HQ, OMRON Healthcare Co., Ltd.

Cumulative global sales of Omron Healthcare’s home-use blood pressure monitors have reached 300 million units, and now they are accessible for people all around the world. However, at the same time, there are still many people who have been struggling with hypertension managements and been suffered by severe conditions. We have set up the Collaborative Research Program ”Healthcare Medical AI” with Kyoto University, and will explore the correlation between personal attributes, lifestyle and hypertension , then will discover the effective ways to improve the condition based on the learnings. Furthermore, we will try to find out the system to prevent the cardiovascular events with our innovative bio sensing technology and AI.

Outline of Collaborative Research Program ”Healthcare Medical AI”.

•  Name of program: Healthcare Medical AI

•  Venue: Within the campus of Kyoto University

•  Period: From June 2021 to March 2024

Contact information

International Public Relations Office, Public Relations Division, General Affairs Department, Kyoto University

Yoshidahonmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto 606-8501
Tel.: 075-753-5729
Fax: 075-753-2094
E-mail: comms@mail2.adm.kyoto-u.ac.jp

https://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/ja

OMRON HEALTHCARE Co., Ltd. Global Communication Administration Public Relations Department 

Tomita, West Exit 53 Kunotsubo, Terado-cho, Muko-shi, Kyoto 617-0002
Tel.: 075-925-2004
Fax: 075-925-2005
E-mail: pr-ohq@omron.com

https://www.healthcare.omron.co.jp/