New Software Can Read Facial Expressions to Measure Pain Levels

In a study recently published in the journal Pediatrics, researchers from the University of California, San Diego demonstrated the validity of a new method for measuring pediatric pain levels by using a new facial pattern recognition software. “The current methods by which we analyze pain in kids are suboptimal,” said the senior author of the study. “In this study, we developed and tested a new instrument, which allowed us to automatically assess pain in children in a clinical setting. We believe this technology, which enables continuous pain monitoring, can lead to better and more timely pain management.” During the study, researchers used the software to analyze pain-related facial expressions from videos taken of 50 participants, ages five to 18-years-old, who had recently undergone laparoscopic appendectomies. Several issues, particularly age-related communication difficulties, make existing pediatric pain assessment methods problematic. Clinical pain assessments, aided by nurses or parents, are often used in lieu of patient self-reporting in children because of these limitations. The results of the study showed that the software demonstrated good-to-excellent accuracy in assessing pain conditions. It also showed strong correlations with pain that was self-reported by the patient. Also noteworthy, is that the software cannot demonstrate bias in pain assessment by ethnicity, race, gender or age. To read more about this study, click here.