Microsoft, LV Prasad Eye Institute and Global Experts collaborate

Microsoft Intelligent Network for Eyecare will help in the elimination of avoidable blindness and scale delivery of eyecare services worldwide

Microsoft India, in collaboration with LV Prasad Eye Institute, launched Microsoft Intelligent Network for Eyecare (MINE). This is a mission-driven global consortium of like-minded commercial, research and academic institutions who have joined hands to apply artificial intelligence to help in the elimination of avoidable blindness and scale delivery of eyecare services worldwide.

The partner organisations of this consortium include Bascom Palmer – University of Miami, Flaum Eye Institute – University of Rochester (USA), Federal University of Sao Paulo (Brazil) and Brien Holden Vision Institute (Australia). The partner organisations will collaborate and collectively work on diverse datasets of patients across geographies to come up with machine learning predictive models for vision impairment and eye disease. This will include the rate of change of myopia in children, conditions that impact children’s eyesight, predictive outcomes of refractive surgery, optimal surgery parameters as well as ways to personalise a surgery and maximise its probability of success. By studying this data and applying advanced analytics with Microsoft machine learning technology to derive insights, MINE will aim to drive strategies to prevent avoidable blindness and help increase efficiency in the delivery of eyecare worldwide. As the technology driver, Microsoft will deploy its leading cloud platform technology – Cortana Intelligence Suite, for advanced analytics and to build Artificial Intelligence models on eyecare.

Anil Bhansali, MD, Microsoft India (R&D), said, “MINE will help redefine eyecare by bringing together the power of technology and knowledge of global experts.”

“At LVPEI, we have been using Microsoft Azure Machine Learning and Power BI to drive clinical interventions and improve patient outcomes. This partnership will not only open doors to opportunities in the field of eyecare, but also pave way for others to leverage technology to address several other critical eye diseases,” said Dr GN Rao, Founder-Chair, LV Prasad Eye Institute.

Joseph Sirosh, Corporate VP of Data Group, Microsoft, said, “We will continue to drive our investments in cloud, machine learning and advanced analytics to provide the building blocks to empower people and organisations to build, innovate and transform.”