The Heart Foundation has announced more than NZ$6 million for heart research and overseas training, including University of Auckland projects exploring AI-assisted imaging and smartphone screening. The funding supports 38 recipients across the wider programme, rather than being solely allocated to AI.
The projects address practical problems in cardiac care: identifying patients who need further investigation and reducing time-consuming work in assessing scans. Researchers will investigate whether these technologies can improve access to assessment and help clinicians use limited resources more effectively. These are research initiatives, with potential benefits still to be tested.
Key facts
- Dr Debbie Zhao will investigate AI and computer modelling for cardiac imaging.
- Her research includes recognising and measuring heart structures in echocardiograms.
- Prashanna Khwaounjoo is testing smartphone video analysis of tiny neck movements caused by blood flow.
- The smartphone project aims to help prioritise patients for full heart scans.
- The broader funding programme includes research and overseas clinical training.
Our take
This is a useful example of New Zealand AI investment focused on a specific service problem. Supporting clinicians with measurement and triage could make scarce expertise go further.
For organisations considering similar tools, the practical lesson is to define the bottleneck first, then test whether AI improves it. Clinical accuracy, performance across patient groups and compatibility with existing workflows should determine whether these projects progress into routine use.
Sources
