Cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and strokes, remain the leading cause of death globally—claiming about 32% of all lives. In the United States alone, around 121.5 million adults, or 48% of the adult population, live with some form of cardiovascular disease, according to the American Heart Association. Early detection is key to reducing mortality, but access to diagnostic tools remains a barrier for many.
Teen Innovator Develops Heart Disease Detection App
In a remarkable breakthrough, 14-year-old Siddharth Nandyala from Frisco, Texas, has developed a smartphone app that can detect early signs of heart disease in just seven seconds. His app, Circadian AI, uses a smartphone placed near the chest to record heart sounds, filter ambient noise, and analyze the data through a cloud-based machine learning model.
How Circadian AI Works
The app accurately identifies a range of heart conditions, including:
- Arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats)
- Early signs of heart failure
- Indicators of coronary artery disease
- Heart valve abnormalities
Although powerful, the app is currently designed for clinical use only and must be operated by trained professionals. It serves as a pre-screening tool, not a replacement for conventional diagnostic tests such as EKGs.
Inspired by Impact
Siddharth’s motivation grew from his passion for artificial intelligence and its potential to revolutionize healthcare. “What really took my interest in the healthcare side of artificial intelligence was the sheer amount of impact and the change that can be made,” he shared in an interview with Smithsonian Magazine. “Even one life detected is one life saved,” he added.
Global Collaboration and Impressive Results
To perfect his app, Siddharth spent months gathering data from hospitals in both the U.S. and India. He collaborated with medical professionals and patients to refine its accuracy. Clinical trials involving approximately 15,000 patients in the U.S. and 3,500 in India revealed that the app detects heart abnormalities with over 96% accuracy.
Praised by Medical Experts
Medical professionals have recognized the app’s potential to transform healthcare, especially in under-resourced regions. Dr. Jameel Ahmed, an electrophysiologist at Louisiana State University, commented, “An early potential diagnosis in patients who otherwise may not have had access to medical care may ultimately reduce long-term morbidity and mortality from this condition.”
An Innovator Beyond His Years
This isn’t Siddharth’s first foray into innovation. He previously designed a low-cost prosthetic arm and founded STEM IT, a startup that creates hands-on science and technology kits for students. His efforts have earned him national recognition, including a Certificate of Recognition from the U.S. House of Representatives and a letter of congratulations from President Joe Biden.
Looking to the Future
Now a freshman at the University of Texas, majoring in computer science, Siddharth plans to expand Circadian AI’s capabilities. He aims to adapt its diagnostic model to detect lung-related illnesses such as pneumonia and pulmonary embolism, using similar techniques.