study by the University of Tokyo and Institute of Science Tokyo has demonstrated that its artificial intelligence (AI)-based algorithm can identify patients with diabetes or hypertension based on short, spectroscopic video recordings of the face.

The pair’s prospective study, the findings of which are set to be presented at the 2026 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) congress, taking place 28-31 August in Munich, recruited 215 participants consisting of patients diagnosed with diabetes and healthy volunteers.

Each participant underwent a short, high-speed video recording of their face and palms using a spectroscopic camera. A machine-learning algorithm subsequently analysed the individual videos and extracted data on pulse-wave dynamics that measured the stiffness of arteries, skin blood-flow patterns and the spectral characteristics of skin colouring.