A New Gadget Simplifies One of the Most Frustrating Aspects of Regular Check-Ups

When a physician conducts an examination of a patient’s throat, they follow a method that has remained largely unchanged for centuries. This practice is fundamental to the physical examination, along with taking body temperature and assessing heartbeats. However, the findings visible in the throat can vary depending on the pathogen involved, revealing a wealth of information. A Japanese firm called Iris, led by Sho Okuyama, aims to uncover that hidden information through artificial intelligence.

Iris has developed a system named Nodoca, which utilizes AI to evaluate images of the pharynx taken with a compact device equipped with a camera. It also incorporates details from the patient’s medical history and other relevant data to provide an influenza assessment in just over 10 seconds. This innovation eliminates the discomfort associated with conventional testing, which typically requires a swab to be inserted deeply into the nose for specimen collection, and it can be applied at an earlier stage once symptoms begin.

In 2022, Nodoca became the first AI-integrated medical device in Japan to achieve recognition as a “new medical device” and receive coverage under the national health insurance system. Since then, it has been deployed in more than 2,000 medical facilities throughout Japan. In October 2025, it also obtained approval for an additional Covid-19-related function.

Okuyama, a former emergency physician with experience working in isolated areas, recalls a time when he had only a stethoscope for medical aid on an island with a few hundred residents, relying entirely on his observational skills to treat patients.

“When individuals hear ‘medical AI,’ they often think about diagnostics,” Okuyama explains. “However, the true distinguishing aspect is in the sensing—how the data is gathered. We created our own hardware and explored the realm of pharyngeal images, which had previously been untapped.”

Upon the company’s establishment in 2017, there was no available training data for AI focused on throat analysis. To address this, Okuyama provided specialized cameras to roughly 100 medical institutions and, over about three years, collected data with patient consent. By tackling three significant uncertainties—the development of hardware, the gathering of training data, and the effectiveness of AI-assisted diagnosis—the company paved the way for practical application.

After the commercialization of Nodoca, its accuracy began to improve rapidly. Each use in clinical settings contributes to the accumulation of anonymized processed data. The number of throat images, initially in the hundreds of thousands pre-launch, has now surged to several million. This network effect has created a barrier to entry for competitors, preventing new entrants in the same domain.

Nodoca’s capabilities go beyond just infectious diseases. The throat images reveal patterns in mucosa and blood vessels, and the company is also researching AI that could identify lifestyle-related conditions such as diabetes and hypertension by detecting changes in these patterns.

“In about 10 years, I believe we will reach a point where a single photograph of the throat can facilitate a wide array of tests,” Okuyama predicts. “The cost of AI inference is exceptionally low, so even as we expand the range of tests, the expense of providing them remains nearly unchanged.”

The Nodoca system employs AI to analyze pharyngeal images captured by a compact camera-equipped device, delivering an influenza diagnosis in just over 10 seconds.

Photograph: Yikin Hyo

The Objective of “Redesigning” Health Care

Looking into the future, Okuyama is exploring the possibility of utilizing AI as a basis for reimagining the health care system. AI-driven medical interviews and online consultations have already materialized, leading to follow-up care from primary physicians and treatment in specialist hospitals. Okuyama foresees a future in which AI is integrated at every phase of this process.

To transform this AI-driven reimagining of health care into reality, Okuyama is actively advocating for regulatory reforms and engaging with government ministries.