What is rPPG?
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rPPG, or remote photoplethysmography, reads your pulse from a camera. As your heart beats, blood flow causes tiny colour changes in the skin of your face. A camera detects those changes and turns them into wellness vitals, with no contact and no wearable.
How rPPG works
A regular camera records small shifts in skin colour that happen with each heartbeat. Software isolates that signal from the video, filters out noise from lighting and movement, and converts the rhythm into vital-sign estimates. The whole process needs only a well-lit face and a few seconds of steady video.
What NervoScan can read
From a short face scan, NervoScan estimates six wellness outputs: heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), blood oxygen, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and stress. These are estimates for general wellness awareness.
What rPPG cannot do
rPPG gives a wellness reading, not a diagnosis. It does not detect, treat, or prevent any condition, and it does not replace a clinician. Think of it as a quick everyday check that can prompt a conversation with a health professional, not a substitute for one.
Honest limits
Accuracy depends on conditions. Good, even lighting and a still face give the best signal. Low light, heavy movement, or a partly hidden face reduce quality. rPPG is designed to work across a diverse range of skin tones.
The research behind it
NervoScan's approach has been developed through research with Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and the National University Health System (NUHS), with heart rate agreement of about 2 bpm and blood oxygen about 2 percent. The blood-pressure estimation method specifically was peer-reviewed in JMIR Formative Research (2025). See the evidence page for details.
Frequently asked questions
Is rPPG accurate?
It gives wellness estimates, not clinical measurements. In research with Singapore General Hospital and the National University Health System, heart rate agreement was about 2 bpm and blood oxygen about 2 percent. Accuracy is best with good lighting and a still face.
How is rPPG different from a wearable?
A wearable touches your skin and needs charging. rPPG uses a camera you already have, with no contact and no device to wear. It suits a quick everyday check rather than continuous tracking.
Is my scan data stored?
NervoScan is built around giving you a wellness reading in the moment, not building a health record. How scan data is handled is described in Nervotec's privacy information.
What can rPPG not do?
It cannot diagnose, treat, or prevent any condition, and it does not replace a clinician. It is a wellness reading that can prompt a conversation with a health professional, not a substitute for one.