Republic Polytechnic Grads Launch AI Stroke Detection Startup

Four recent Republic Polytechnic graduates have launched a startup built around an AI-powered camera system that detects stroke symptoms in bedridden patients, turning a deeply personal caregiving experience into a medtech innovation with the potential to transform eldercare in Singapore's nursing homes.

The startup, called Stroke Guard, grew out of a final-year project at Republic Polytechnic. Co-founder Ashwin Manikandan was inspired by his grandmother's 2005 stroke, which went undetected because his family did not recognise the facial drooping. By the time she reached the hospital, the damage was severe enough to leave her permanently disabled. The team — which also includes Tan Jia Ling, Sasindren Jaya Sanger, and Sarah Beegam Saju — partnered with social service agency Care Corner for data collection and clinical validation.

Stroke Guard's system uses computer vision to continuously monitor patients for early stroke indicators, specifically facial asymmetry, and sends automatic alerts to caregivers. For nursing home staff who cannot be at every bedside, this offers a 24/7 passive monitoring layer that catches critical warning signs faster than human observation alone. The prototype has already attracted investor interest, and the team is pursuing commercialisation after graduating.

Singapore's population is ageing rapidly, and the demand for tech-enabled eldercare solutions continues to climb. Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability worldwide, and early detection directly improves outcomes — every minute of delayed treatment destroys roughly 1.9 million neurons. Products like Stroke Guard represent a growing category of homegrown medtech AI that addresses a tangible gap in Singapore's healthcare system: passive, real-time monitoring for patients who cannot communicate their symptoms.

Why it matters for Singapore: Stroke Guard is a textbook example of how Singapore's polytechnic ecosystem can incubate real-world AI startups. The project moved from a classroom concept to a working prototype with clinical validation, and now has a clear path to market. As Singapore pushes to triple its AI workforce and deepen tech adoption in healthcare, grassroots innovations like this one show that the pipeline for homegrown AI talent is already producing commercially viable solutions — not just research papers.