CARE TO CONSULT DR AI?

With healthcare on the brink of an AI-enabled revolution, experts decode how dependable this technology can be

- Ruchika Garg

True to the adage 'The eyes are a window to the heart', an algorithm has been developed that can predict heart health by matching the eye scans with a matrix for cardiovascular risks. Elsewhere, smartwatches are said to be able to detect Parkinson's disease up to seven years before symptoms appear.

The accelerometer data of smartwatches, when shared with AI, can predict the development of the disease. And, that's not all; we may soon be seeking appointments from AI doctors! Developed by Google, the medical AI chatbot, Med-PaLM 2 is trained on a curated set of medical expert demonstrations to improve healthcare conversation capabilities. The idea is to help countries with limited access to doctors.

TAPPING AI'S POTENTIAL IN INDIA

Like in many parts of the world, the Indian healthcare sector has also harnessed the potential of artificial intelligence. Some of the tools in use are:

Fitterfly, a health-tech firm, uses AI to analyse their food database, enabling personalised nutrition recommendations. A tool called the Personalised Glycemic Response Engine analyses the impact of various foods on different people, allowing better management of HbA1c, fasting and post-meal blood sugar.