Acer has disclosed it has worked with National Taiwan University Hospital to develop AI-based software to help doctors diagnose diabetic retinopathy, with the software becoming the first ophthalmological intellectual property licensed by Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration.
Acer has worked with the hospital's departments of ophthalmology and internal medicine to develop the software since 2017, using 50,000 retinal images from abroad to train an AI-based diagnostic model for interpreting retinopathy. The model has then been adjusted for improvement using 10,000 retinal images of diabetes patients treated by the hospital. Interpretation by the model can reach an accuracy rate of 95%, the same level as interpretation by ophthalmologist.
A major complication of diabetes, retinopathy is likely to cause blindness, according to a physician with the hospital. There are an estimated 2.2 million diabetics in Taiwan currently, and as the number of doctors is insufficient as compared with that of diabetics, the AI-based software is expected to greatly help doctors screen out retinopathy from diabetics.
The hospital established in February 2020 a smart medical center, which is developing AI-based diagnostic models for interpreting mammary tumors and aortic calcification, said the hospital's superintendent Wu Ming-shiang.
The AI-based software will soon be introduced to hospitals and clinics in Taiwan for clinical trials.
Smart medical care is a key to transformation of Taiwan's ITC industries, Acer founder Stan Shih indicated, adding the AI-based software will be promoted in overseas markets.