Can an app detect COVID-19 with a selfie? Here’s UPM’s response

Several companies and institutions are currently working hard to find solutions to contain the spread of COVID-19. It was recently circulated that Universiti Putra Malaysia is developing a mobile app that supposedly can detect COVID-19 with just a selfie.

The Minister of Higher Education, Dato Dr. Noraini Ahmad had recently shared a presentation deck on her Facebook page that highlights 10 innovations by UPM to tackle the global pandemic. It contains several projects which include 3D face shield, hand sanitiser, boot cover, a remote robot that sprays disinfectant, incubator box, graphene gloves and a walk-through sanitising machine.

What’s interesting is there’s an AI-assisted self-diagnosis app which lets you check for COVID-19 instantly and all it takes is just a selfie picture. According to the slide, it uses digital biomarkers to detect the disease.

Days after the Minister’s post was published, the University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor has issued a statement to provide clarity on the COVID-19 application. He added that the self-diagnosis app that was shared recently is still in its early development and testing stage. The university emphasised that the app isn’t a substitute for RT-PCR COVID-19 tests which detects antibodies that is present in people with infection.

UPM also clarified that the app is only meant for health monitoring purposes and it is not meant for diagnosis. They stressed that development is still in its early stage and it still requires verification with clinical data. It was also clarified that the app uses digital biomarker data that are processed using an artificial intelligence algorithm. The university also admitted that the name of the app, “AI Self-diagnoses” is misleading and they have apologised for the confusion.

At the time of writing, the Higher Education minister had deleted the particular slide of the AI diagnosis app from her Facebook post but it is still mentioned on the first slide. The Minister was recently criticised for launching a TikTok contest featuring social media influencers.

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