Google, United Nations ESCAP unveils AI health service in Thailand to screen diabetic eye disease

Google, a few years ago worked with eye specialists in India and the U.S. on an AI system to help doctors analyze images of the back of the eye for signs of diabetic retinopathy. The AI model now detects diabetic retinopathy with a level of accuracy on par with human retinal specialists. This means doctors and staff can use this assistive technology to screen more patients in less time, sparing people from blindness through a more timely diagnosis. The company is rolling out this diabetic retinopathy initiative in clinics in India with its partner Verily, and it also conducting research in Thailand over the past few months. At the AI for Social Good Summit in Bangkok hosted by Google and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), the company has announced a partnership with the Rajavithi Hospital, which is operated by the Ministry of Public Health in Thailand, kicking off a forward-looking research pilot using AI to detect diabetic retinopathy in Thailand. To ensure that all sectors contribute to the development of AI in the Asia Pacific, Google is supporting the creation of an Asia Pacific AI for Social Good Research Network with a grant. This network will bring ...