Vitacam: evaluating the video-based monitoring solution for chronic conditions 

In this case study, Moyeen Ahmad, the founder of Vitacam, shares how the Leap programme helped to facilitate involvement, ensuring people with lived experience of chronic conditions were at the heart of their usability study with London South Bank University.

Vitacam is a smartphone app for measuring vital physiological parameters, such as respiratory rate and heart rate. It uses computer vision to obtain spot measurements of these vital signs from a 30-second video clip of the face and chest. 

It is intended for self-measurement at home by adults, who are not bedridden or in immediate danger. Sufferers of chronic conditions are a particular target group as they experience flare-ups from heart conditions or COPD, and early warnings are possible to detect through regular monitoring. 

The measurements are intended for a remote clinical assessment of the current condition, allowing clinicians to identify changes in symptoms that may indicate deterioration. 

Journey 

We became obsessed with measuring vital signs after our own personal experiences with unsuitable devices and difficulties in knowing when to seek help. Measuring breathing especially seemed to be a gap and so we started to develop Vitacam, which is now a CE-marked medical device. 

As engineers, we could build, but without clinical training, we were struggling with accessing clinical or patient feedback. Experts could guide us to the right pathways and most appropriate feature design. 

Our ambition is not only to measure more vital physiological parameters reliably and accurately but to also package them appropriately to patients. 

Championing co-design with Leap  

The Leap programme provided valuable support in both personal and product development. Meeting other diverse founders and getting peer feedback was helpful, as we often face similar challenges. As a start-up, your time tends to go into firefighting rather than reflection. 

Our participation in the programme led to introductions to clinical opinion leaders to discuss positioning. This helped us to orientate our route to market towards a partnership model with remote monitoring companies. 

Leap also linked us to the Involvement team at the Health Innovation Network (HIN) South London. Connecting with the Involvement Manager was instrumental in recruiting participants with a variety of chronic conditions for a usability study on Vitacam, led by Dr Kerry Wood of South Bank University. 

Recruitment for studies can be quite slow and costly, and sample bias often occurs because individuals who are more comfortable participating are more likely to join. Adults, with a formal diagnosis of cardiac or respiratory issues requiring monitoring, were recruited through social media and the HIN’s Partners with People newsletter and invited to use the app for a week. After this period, a researcher interviewed the users and analysed the qualitative data. 

The study with London South Bank University took place from September 2024 to November 2024 with seven subjects. It revealed that the target users valued the app’s simplicity, ease of use and real-time guidance, which facilitated integration into daily routines. The Vitacam app shows strong potential as a basic health monitoring tool. 

Participants also provided actionable recommendations, some of which are already implemented, such as enhancing in-app feedback and providing more help to users to interpret results. Integration with NHS and other healthcare systems for seamless data sharing was also requested. 

“If every medical app was as simple to use as this, that would be great.”

– Study participant 

The study recommended to expand health monitoring capabilities, and we continue to develop further by: 

• Obtaining regulatory approval for oxygen saturation, enabling more value for respiratory pathways  

• Proceeding with a clinical investigation to validate Vitacam blood pressure measurements 

Looking Forward 

In the autumn of 2024, Vitacam was acquired by Evondos, a Finnish company that manufactures automated medicine dispensers. This provides exciting new opportunities to combine medication adherence and vital signs monitoring into one package while strengthening the team.  

To find out more, visit vitacam.health or contact moyeen@vitacam.health

Moyeen Ahmad, Founder of Vitacam, was part of the DigitalHealth.London Leap programme.

The DigitalHealth.London Leap programme is funded by the UK Government via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). It is delivered by the Health Innovation Network (HIN) South London in partnership with the Office of Life Sciences, CW+, Medicity, NHS England, the Mayor of London and the Levelling Up Fund.

For more information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-
shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus.