Moving Medical Semeiotics to the Digital Realm - SEMEOTICONS Approach to Face Signs of Cardiometabolic Risk

In modern medicine signs derivable from face observation remain an important part of the physical examination that, together with the anamnesis, constitutes the basis for a rational decision-making. Therefore, face semiotics may be considered as a potential source of information for obtaining markers of obesity, metabolomics, cardiovascular homeostasis and psychophysical status. Once properly mapped to computational descriptors, their systematic exploitation is expected allowing the building of effective self-monitoring systems. In this perspective, in the frame of the FP7 project SEMEOTICONS, the most relevant face signs of cardio-metabolic risk are reviewed and analysed so as to drive their detection, quantification and integration into a virtual individual model useful for cardio-metabolic risk prevention.