AI application diagnoses and suggests exercises to treat chronic back pain

On March 21, Japanese technology giant NEC announced a partnership with Tokyo University of Medicine and Dentistry to develop technology using artificial intelligence (AI) to diagnose the cause of chronic back pain. calculate and recommend exercises to improve the situation.

NEC and Tokyo University of Medicine and Dentistry use AI to support self-care for chronic back pain. (Photo: acnnewswire.com)

According to a reporter in Tokyo, the system is a combination of NEC's AI technology and medical knowledge from Tokyo University of Medicine and Dentistry. First, users will record videos of postures such as bending forward, backward or twisting the upper body, then answer the system's questions. AI will determine the condition of each bone and body part and diagnose the cause of back pain. According to NEC, the system has about 30 types of exercise programs to improve lower back pain and will recommend the most suitable exercises depending on the cause.

NEC aims to commercialize this technology after testing its effectiveness through trials this year. The service is expected to be sold to local governments, corporate health insurance associations, and medical facilities focusing on rehabilitation. In the future, NEC plans to expand the scope of treatment to include not only back pain but also neck and shoulder pain.

According to a survey by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, back pain is one of the most common diseases in the country, which can be a symptom of some other disease or caused by injury for both men and women. female. This can even be considered a 'national disease'. However, many people with pain do not go to the hospital for many different reasons. From there, NEC saw an opportunity to sell services that allow people to easily check their back condition and practice on their own to improve the situation.