The team behind an app which helps detect early signs of kidney failure is to join technology giant Google.

Streams, which was previously part of DeepMind, sends patient test result data directly to clinicians’ mobile devices and alerts them to individuals who could be in danger of developing acute kidney infection (AKI).

The technology is currently being used at the Royal Free Hospital in north London.

In a blog post, it was confirmed the team behind Streams would join Google.

The Streams team will remain in London, under the leadership of former NHS surgeon and researcher, Dominic King.

They will  be aided by David Feinberg, who is to lead Google’s health strategy from January 2019.

The blog says the move will help Streams be scaled more quickly across the NHS.

It adds: “Our vision is for Streams to become an AI-powered assistant for nurses and doctors everywhere – combining the best algorithms with intuitive design, all backed up by rigorous evidence.

“The team working within Google, alongside brilliant colleagues from across the organisation, will help make this vision a reality.”

DeepMind, which was founded by Demis Hassabis, Shane Legg and Mustafa Suleyman in 2010, is a British artificial intelligence company.

In January 2014, the company was acquired by Google parent company, Alphabet.

The blog states that DeepMind will continue “to work on fundamental health research with partners in academia, the NHS and beyond”.

If there are any promising results from this, DeepMind will “work closely with the Streams and translational research teams at Google” to help introduce it into a clinical setting, the company said.

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