[AI Revolution](93) AI Predicts Arrhythmia with 92% Accuracy... Synergy AI Expands Preventive Medicine Horizons

Synergy AI's 'MacKay' Wins CES 2024 Innovation Award
92.7% Prediction Accuracy Based on ECG Data
CEO Shin Taeyoung: "We Will Become the Leader in AI Healthcare"

Shin Tae-young, CEO of Synergy AI, a company developing AI healthcare solutions, is currently also serving as a professor in the Department of Urology at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital. CEO Shin found a 'blue ocean (new market)' in the reality where the latest AI technologies are not well utilized in the medical field and the entry barrier is high due to the need for expertise, making it difficult to conceive concrete business models. The vision of CEO Shin and Synergy AI is to create a synergy effect in the healthcare field by combining the expertise of AI developers and doctors.

AI Revolution - Interview with Shin Taeyoung, CEO of Synergy AI. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@

The synergy effect created by Synergy AI has been proven globally. The AI-based arrhythmia prediction diagnostic solution 'Mac’AI' developed by Synergy AI received the Innovation Award at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) held this year in Las Vegas, USA. Arrhythmia, characterized by irregular heartbeats, can sometimes be difficult to diagnose because the irregular heartbeat may return to normal by the time the patient arrives at the emergency room. Mac’AI uses AI technology to accurately detect the timing of irregular heartbeats. Based on a large amount of electrocardiogram (ECG) data learned by AI, it distinguishes between ECGs that may develop arrhythmia within 14 days and those that will not. Mac’AI’s arrhythmia prediction accuracy reaches 92.7%.

CEO Shin expects Mac’AI to reduce social costs and improve the efficiency of the healthcare system. He stated, “Since it has already completed clinical trials, it can create a high-level diagnostic process,” and added, “There is also talk that medicine should focus on prevention, and if the social role of the solution is well defined, it can establish itself as a company that properly implements future medicine in the market.” He further mentioned, “If Mac’AI is designated as an innovative medical device and obtains medical device approval, conditions will likely be set to sell it as a non-reimbursable product around May or June this year.”

He is also planning integration with devices. CEO Shin said, “I have thought a lot about commercialization while researching with Professor Park Jun-beom from the same hospital,” and added, “If wearable devices or similar equipment are given to people classified as high-risk through the solution, it is expected to prevent strokes or sudden death in advance.”

AI Revolution - Interview with Shin Tae-young, CEO of Synergy AI. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

Daewoong Pharmaceutical, which holds the market-leading product ‘wearable ECG solution,’ is also an investor in Synergy AI. CEO Shin said, “When monitoring ECGs relying on a doctor’s intuition, this may not resonate well with patients,” and added, “It can become a report that objectively explains to patients why the doctor made such a diagnosis from the patient’s perspective.” Recently, Mac’AI was embedded in the edge AI semiconductor of DifferAI, an AI semiconductor fabless company. This demonstrated the possibility of implementing solutions under enhanced security by handling sensitive medical information with on-device AI.

In addition to Mac’AI, Synergy AI is creating healthcare products that meet the needs of medical institutions and patients through Ignite (a kidney volume measurement diagnostic support solution) and Hypermedicus (an automatic medical record creation platform). Ignite is a solution that measures kidney volume, which is important for evaluating kidney function, with 98% accuracy, and Hypermedicus converts conversations between doctors and patients into medical charts written in medical terminology. Ignite is currently reviewing overseas licensing out, and Hypermedicus is receiving positive evaluations from professors who are testing it. CEO Shin said, “We communicate from the doctor’s perspective, generate ideas, and technically develop them to pursue business stability.”

CEO Shin expressed his ambition for Synergy AI to become a leading company in AI healthcare. So far, Synergy AI has received a total investment of 2.4 billion KRW from Daewoong Pharmaceutical, POSTECH Holdings, Evergreen Partners, POSCO Technology Investment, Wide & Partners, and plans to raise about 20 billion KRW through an investment round in the first half of this year. CEO Shin stated, “We are also planning an initial public offering (IPO) within three years.”