Jonathan Lau, CEO and founder of Nervotec, said the company is excited to partner with leading insurer Prudential to democratise digital health.
“With Prudential’s Pulse app, we will be able to reach out directly to billions of consumers in Asia and Africa. Our contactless technology is accessible through a mobile phone which means that people can monitor their health anywhere, anytime. More importantly, we provide users with tailored insights so that they are empowered to take charge of their health journey,” said Mr Lau.
Nervotec’s health service is backed by modern image processing technology known as remote photoplethysmography (rPPG).
Tracking stress levels through a facial scan
The social and economic uncertainties brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic has caused an increase in stress. In a study conducted by Milieu across six countries in South East Asia, Singapore (81%) and The Philippines (78%) top the list with respondents agreeing that it is stressful living in their countries, followed by Malaysia (61%), Thailand (59%), Indonesia (51%) and Vietnam (42%)[i].
Long-term stress can contribute to physical and mental illness. In Singapore, more than 160,000 people are admitted to public hospitals every year for stress-related illnesses. The country spends about US$2.3 billion (S$3.1 billion), or 18 per cent of its total healthcare expenditure, on stress-related illnesses annually[ii].
“By enabling people to monitor and track their stress levels, we hope to provide them with insights on how work, relationships, and physical stress such as aches and pains, impact their daily well-being. Through Pulse, we can help people journey towards a healthier self and reduce their risk of disease through our fitness tracker, diet recommendations and telemedicine service,” added Mr Lee.
A tool for corporate health and wellness
When taken together, the measurements of stress level and vital signs can enable users to assess their overall sense of well-being and whether they are fit to work for the day. This is especially relevant in industries where shift work is prevalent, and where roles are physically demanding or customer-facing.
