A new device assesses bloodflow and oxygen in the feet to detect a problem early, while treatment options are still open.

Around the world, some 150 million people suffer from peripheral artery disease. Often prevalent in people who have diabetes, it can lead to a foot condition that in turn can result in foot amputations and even death.

A major problem is that it’s usually discovered only when symptoms appear and treatment options become limited.

This is where Israeli startup Votis steps in. Founded in 2017, the Jerusalem-based company has developed an innovative device that can identify the disease in its very early stages.

“It’s a device to help people with diabetes keep their feet through noninvasive, radiation-free assessment of the blood and oxygen in their feet,” explains Votis cofounder and president Merrill Weber.

“Our system is unique in that it can identify the disease while it’s still asymptomatic, so the patient doesn’t even know he has a problem,” he adds.

“It gives the doctors a lot more specific information about the disease and a lot more treatment options because there’s less damage at the time that its discovered,” he says.

How Votis works

“We put patches on the outside of the foot and direct infrared light and near-infrared light into the foot. By measuring the scattering and absorption of the light, we can assess the blood flow and the condition of the oxygen in the hemoglobin in the blood. The whole test takes about five minutes and its noninvasive and doesn’t use X-rays so it’s safe,” says Weber.

“After the information is taken it’s sent to the cloud for processing with AI and is available to the doctor with an app. It will be integrated with the patient’s electronic health records.”

The device is meant to be used on people over the age of 65, for whom it is recommended to get checked for peripheral artery disease on an annual basis, as well as for people over the age of 50 with higher risk factors.