Eastern Medicine Meets AI: Buryatia Launches a Digital Health Assistant

The AI-Emchi (AI Emchi) service has launched in Ulan-Ude. It was developed by specialists from Buryat State University in collaboration with physicians at the Center for Eastern Medicine. The digital physician assistant is designed to help users organize information about their health and prepare for a medical appointment.

How the Assistant Works

Users begin by completing a questionnaire. They can choose the full version, which contains 51 questions, or a shorter version with 12. The chatbot asks what is troubling them, how well they sleep, what they eat, and whether they have any restrictions or contraindications.

Based on the answers, the algorithm determines the user's constitutional type according to the principles of Eastern medicine. The assessment draws on several characteristics, including whether a person tends toward “cold” or “hot” states, their body type, and how their metabolism functions.

The next step is a facial scan using the smartphone camera. The service uses photoplethysmography, a technique based on changes in blood volume in superficial vessels with each heartbeat. These changes affect the intensity of light reflected by the skin. Although barely perceptible to the naked eye, they can be captured by a camera and processed by software.

Pulse, Blood Pressure and Stress

In AI-Emchi, this analysis is used to estimate several indicators, including pulse rate, blood pressure, stress level, heart rhythm, vascular elasticity, and fatigue. These measurements supplement the user's questionnaire responses and help build an overall picture of their well-being.

The resulting data do not constitute a medical diagnosis, and the service is not a substitute for a comprehensive medical examination. If users report concerning symptoms, it may recommend seeking medical care or calling emergency services if the situation is critical.

Neural Networks and a Knowledge Base

After the questionnaire and data analysis, the service processes the collected information. GigaChat compares the user's responses and measured indicators with a knowledge base built from digitized Eastern medicine texts. The database also includes information on constitutional types and a catalog of herbal infusions being developed by Buryat State University and the Center for Eastern Medicine.

The system uses a retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) architecture. This allows the language model to consult a curated collection of source materials and generate responses grounded in that information, rather than relying solely on the model's general knowledge. Users receive recommendations on eating and sleeping habits, along with information about herbal preparations they can discuss with a clinician.

Digital Health Services

AI-Emchi is being developed as Buryatia expands its broader digital healthcare infrastructure. The republic is introducing electronic sick leave certificates and prescriptions, online physician appointments, and telemedicine consultations. Another priority is using AI to support healthcare professionals.

Since March 2026, physicians in Buryatia have been using the MosMedII (Moscow Medical AI) platform to analyze medical images. More than 2,000 examination results have already been analyzed with the system. Such tools help clinicians work with diagnostic data, but they do not make decisions on their behalf.

As Yevgeniya Ludupova, Deputy Chair of the Government of the Republic of Buryatia and Minister of Health, has noted, the next phase of digitalization will include the use of AI and voice assistants. These technologies could make it easier to process information received by physicians and free up time for patient care.

The project also has export potential. Buryatia has its own school of Eastern medicine, and the digital service offers a way to present its accumulated knowledge in a format that could appeal to users beyond the republic and Russia. Potential partners include Asian countries, where interest in traditional medicine is growing alongside the development of digital technologies.

Not long ago, this would have seemed like science fiction. Today, AI is actively analyzing CT scans, mammograms, and MRI images, even in Russia’s regions. It acts as a constant assistant that can flag suspicious areas, which is critically important for the early detection of diseases such as cancer. The second trend is the shift toward predictive analytics. In other words, instead of simply treating a disease, we are learning to predict it using data from electronic health records, manage risks, and identify patients who are at high risk of developing conditions such as cardiovascular disease

Ksenia Ivashkevich

Director of Digital Innovation Development in Medicine, Ingosstrakh Insurance Company