“Our goal is to map the disease landscape and identify linkages among conditions that escalate the risk of heart-related complications, including blocked arteries, hypertension, fatty liver and left ventricular fibrosis (scarring of heart muscles),” says Professor Foo. “We’re looking to understand the paradox of acute heart complications in seemingly healthy individuals.”

Among the participants of Project Reset, 3,000 of them will be selected for a five-year follow-up programme, where new, AI-enabled technologies will be piloted. A smartwatch and a virtual reality gadget will be provided to the participants so they can monitor and manage their health actively. For instance, the tools allow them to feel their liver tissue stiffness and heart rate pulse during discussions with healthcare providers, providing an experiential understanding of their body’s warning signs. This approach will not only empower Singaporeans to take charge of their heart health but also help in building a large database that shapes a more informed AI-driven predictive model, enabling researchers to identify higher-risk groups in the community.

Project Reset aims to broaden the spectrum of risk assessment for heart disease, challenging the conventional boundaries by including factors like fatty liver disease and heart muscle scarring.

“We are peeling back the layers of what it means to be truly healthy. As we delve deep into the data, we anticipate finding early warning signs of illness in individuals who might otherwise think they have a clean bill of health,” adds Prof Foo. “Project Reset will bring together public healthcare clusters, medical schools, industry and community partners to look at how best to help Singaporeans take charge of their heart health.”