A UC Berkeley student's startup is set to potentially impact stroke detection and prevention with the help of AI and common digital devices. Ashmita Kumar, a third-year undergraduate and founder of Code Blue, launched the company after personal experiences with stroke in her family heightened her awareness of the need for rapid detection and response.

Kumar said her grandfather's severe stroke and a later scare involving her father, prompted her to consider how existing technology might be used to detect early warning signs. Inspired by her concerns and the capabilities of modern devices, she founded Code Blue to utilize cameras and microphones on smartphones, computers, and other smart devices to identify stroke symptoms such as slurred speech and facial drooping. If such signs are detected, the program can also call for emergency assistance.

“Everybody has devices now, especially after COVID, and telehealth has taken off,” Kumar stated, noting the untapped potential of these devices in urgent medical situations.

The startup, which Kumar initially pitched in 2023, has drawn significant interest and emotional responses from those who have encountered similar medical emergencies. “We knew we owed it to everybody to do our best and try to build it,” Kumar said after receiving encouragement from interested parties.

Stroke statistics underscore the urgency of such an initiative: according to the CDC, over 795,000 people suffer strokes annually in the U.S., with a person dying from the condition every three minutes. Rapid medical response significantly mitigates long-term disabilities for many patients, making early detection crucial.

Hospitals currently use advanced diagnostic tools, but public awareness of stroke signs remains a challenge. Code Blue aims to bridge this gap by constantly analyzing users' speech and facial expressions every 30 seconds, alerting them and emergency services if symptoms are detected, while maintaining strict privacy through immediate data deletion after analysis.

Kumar's initiative has been recognized within and beyond UC Berkeley, leveraging various programs, pitch competitions, and incubators to advance the startup. Among these, she was a grand prize winner in the campus’s Blum Center’s Big Ideas Contest and has engaged with multiple campus resources focused on nurturing entrepreneurship and innovation.

Next on her schedule is a competition for the ACC InVenture Prize, hosted at the University of Notre Dame, where she will present Code Blue to a panel and live audience, competing for $30,000 in prizes.

Reflecting on her journey, Kumar credits her Berkeley experience: “I honestly think if I hadn’t gone to Berkeley, none of this would have happened.”

Darren Cooke, UC Berkeley's interim chief innovation and entrepreneurship officer, praised the project, saying, “Ashmita’s work is a great example of Berkeley students using technology and innovation for the greater good.”

With ongoing pilot testing conducted in collaboration with UC San Francisco doctors and plans to secure FDA approvals, Code Blue aims to join the technology-driven health solutions sector, reflecting trends seen in devices like the Apple Watch.