healthcare technology

Google's AI-powered tool that will be available later this year helps anyone identify skin conditions using their phone’s camera.

 

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to help clinicians care for patients and treat disease — from improving the screening process for breast cancer to helping detect tuberculosis more efficiently.

 

When we combine these advances in AI with other technologies, like smartphone cameras, we can unlock new ways for people to stay better informed about their health, too.  

 

Google's AI-powered dermatology assist tool is a web-based application that they hope to launch as a pilot later this year, to make it easier to figure out what might be going on with their skin.

 

Once the user launchs the tool, simply use their phone’s camera to take three images of the skin, hair or nail concern from different angles. They are  then  asked questions about their skin type, how long they’ve had the issue and other symptoms that help the tool narrow down the possibilities. The AI model analyzes this information and draws from its knowledge of 288 conditions to give the user a list of possible matching conditions that they can then research further.

 

For each matching condition, the tool will show dermatologist-reviewed information and answers to commonly asked questions, along with similar matching images from the web.

 

The tool is not intended to provide a diagnosis nor be a substitute for medical advice as many conditions require clinician review, in-person examination, or additional testing like a biopsy. Rather Google hopes it gives users access to authoritative information so they can make a more informed decision about their next step.

 

Developing an AI model that assesses issues for all skin types 

Google's tool is the culmination of over three years of machine learning research and product development. To date, Google has published several peer-reviewed papers that validate their AI model and they claim more are in the works. 

 

Recently, the AI model that powers the tool successfully passed clinical validation, and the tool has been CE marked as a Class I medical device in the EU.

 

 

more at https://blog.google/technology/health/ai-dermatology-preview-io-2021/