Health Tech - DeepMind and Eye Health

//Deep Learning and Health//

Science and computer science go hand in hand in modern medicine solutions. It’s fascinating to see overlap and computing come to the core of health science and it’s only the tip of the ice berg as big technology firms harness more data and analysis networks to yield effective forms of detection and treatment. DeepMind is a deep learning system from Google that makes use of neural networks to carry out rapid problem solving, a tool that holds the key to the future of many of our current problems and roadblocks. AI and health is a big step to advancing what science knows about the body and how to recognise diseases that are yet to manifest. This is all possible through the power of deep learning, an ever evolving network of intelligence.

//A Degenerative Disease//

DeepMind blogged a few weeks back around capabilities of discovering Wet macular degeneration. Those who suffer from the condition will experience impaired vision due to abnormalities in the eye’s blood vessels. It is a chronic disorder and there are numerous types that can be diagnosed. As of now, a cure has not been sought but treatment and early diagnosis is a key part of preventing blindness over time. DeepMind have claimed that they are now able to identify age-related macular degeneration after training their AI with three dimensional scans from thousands of patients.

//First Steps//

Testing and review of performance have yielded an overall positive performance of early identification of the condition. While false positives are relative high for the moment, this is not detrimental to the overall system as manual screening and analysis would be needed to verify the potential condition regardless. It is also a major even as AI begins to open doors to many forms of early health detection screenings and may be used in many other fields to help identify patterns that would otherwise be majorly difficult to detect through other means.

//Promising Future//

Science, AI and a population ready to contribute data for training is a fascinating prospect. Focusing neural networks to solve various health problems may one day begin to interlink and solve numerous roadblocks at once. I look forward to seeing these predictive models and diagnosis systems put into clinical trials. It may not be all that far before we begin to see doctors, dentists and other health specialists make use of extensive AI deep learning networks to assist with early diagnosis. The future of health is deeply exciting, complex and hopeful.

Sources

https://www.digitalhealth.net/2020/06/deepmind-ai-system-detects-risk-of-developing-serious-eye-condition/
https://deepmind.com/blog/article/Using_ai_to_predict_retinal_disease_progression
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/wet-macular-degeneration/symptoms-causes/syc-20351107