Researchers reveals a link between the places we live and our risk of coronary heart disease using Google Street View. Getty Images
Researchers reveals a link between the places we live and our risk of coronary heart disease using Google Street View. Getty Images
Researchers reveals a link between the places we live and our risk of coronary heart disease using Google Street View. Getty Images
Researchers reveals a link between the places we live and our risk of coronary heart disease using Google Street View. Getty Images

Google Street View opens a window to human heart health


Marwa Hassan
  • English
  • Arabic

Google Street View could be used to predict coronary heart disease risk by analysing neighbourhood environments, according to research.

A study, published in European Heart Journal, monitored everyday surroundings, including the quality of roads, buildings, and green spaces, and the role they play in determining heart health.

Researchers were able to track the link between these environmental elements, including the presence or absence of pollution, and the risk of coronary heart disease – a condition where the heart's arteries are blocked, limiting blood flow to the heart.

They found that these neighbourhood characteristics could account for 63 per cent of the differences in heart disease risk from one community to another.

The discovery stems from analysing more than half a million Google Street View images across US cities, using computer vision to identify and interpret details that might go unnoticed by the human eye.

The data provides urban planners and public health officials with information to design healthier living spaces and neighbourhoods.

“Undoubtedly, there is a vast amount of demographic, social, economic and environmental data set,” said one of the study's authors, Prof Sanjay Rajagopalan from Ohio's University Hospitals Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute and Case Western Reserve University.

“However, there still remain substantial gaps in our knowledge regarding unique environmental aspects of data that are currently beyond human perception or interpretation.

“This is where the use of computer vision approaches may enable unparalleled understanding of the physical and built environment.”

The study included images of Detroit, Michigan; Kansas City, Missouri; Cleveland, Ohio; Brownsville, Texas; Fremont, California; Bellevue, Washington State, and Denver, Colorado.

By employing artificial intelligence, researchers have been able to examine the minutiae of neighbourhoods' built environment.

Google Street View images associated with lower cardiovascular disease. Photo credit: European Heart Journal
Google Street View images associated with lower cardiovascular disease. Photo credit: European Heart Journal

The study employed computer vision technology, including applications used in medical imaging and autonomous driving, to identify details and then interpret them to make predictions or decisions, as they do when estimating disease risks or navigating vehicles safely.

“We are getting to a place in human civilisation where utilisation of artificial intelligence to enhance human understanding is going to be critically important at solving complex problems,” Prof Rajagopalan said.

“Traditional approaches that have been used are rather limited as they are dependent on human and often linear interpretation of existing and highly curated unidimensional data sets.”

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The Details

Kabir Singh

Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series

Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga

Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa

Rating: 2.5/5 

SERIES SCHEDULE

First Test, Galle International Stadium
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Second Test, Sinhalese Sports Club Ground
August 3-7
Third Test, Pallekele International Stadium
August 12-16
First ODI, Rangiri Dambulla Stadium
August 20
Second ODI, Pallekele International Stadium
August 24
Third ODI, Pallekele International Stadium
August 27
Fourth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
August 31
Fifth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
September 3
T20, R Premadasa Stadium
September 6

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White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogenChromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxideUltramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica contentOphiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on landOlivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Profile

Company name: Marefa Digital

Based: Dubai Multi Commodities Centre

Number of employees: seven

Sector: e-learning

Funding stage: Pre-seed funding of Dh1.5m in 2017 and an initial seed round of Dh2m in 2019

Investors: Friends and family 

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Liverpool's all-time goalscorers

Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 285
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228

Why it pays to compare

A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.

Route 1: bank transfer

The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.

Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount

Total received: €4,670.30 

Route 2: online platform

The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.

Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction

Total received: €4,756

The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.

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The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm

Transmission: eight-speed auto

Price: from Dh122,745

On sale: now

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A State of Passion

Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi

Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah

Rating: 4/5

Updated: April 18, 2024, 4:38 PM