India’s first 5G, AI-driven colonoscopy trial conducted by Airtel, Apollo Hospitals, and AWS

In India’s first-ever colonoscopy trials, which were carried out utilising AI and Airtel’s 5G technology, colon cancer was found significantly more quickly and accurately, according to an announcement from Bharti Airtel and Apollo Hospitals. The other three firms that worked together on these trials were HealthNet Global, AWS, and Avesha.

Currently, colon cancer is identified manually during a colonoscopy procedure, requiring a lot of care and time from medical professionals to provide an accurate diagnosis. The procedure is not only time-consuming, lasting up to 30 to 40 minutes per case, but it is also discomforting for both the patients and the doctors and nurses who have to perform the procedure. Even when the doctor adjusted the scope to overlay the picture on the right portion of the colon, the AI-guided colonoscopy procedure displayed image processing in real-time without any lags.  The introduction of this technology will provide doctors access to an extra set of eyes and increase the rate at which polyps are detected.

Utilizing platforms from AWS (Amazon Web Services India P Ltd), Avesha edge inferencing applications processed the data in real-time. Trials for AI-assisted Colonoscopy Polyp Detection will assist physicians in enhancing patient care, increasing detection rates by accurately recording information, and minimising errors.

Ajay Chitkara, CEO and Director of Airtel Business, commented on the trial by stating that “Ultra-fast, low latency 5G networks will transform the healthcare sector in the country. At Airtel, we are geared up to lead this transformation and have demonstrated this by conducting India’s first colonoscopy trials. Healthcare is one of the most promising use cases for 5G, and we are delighted to collaborate with Apollo Hospitals, AWS, HealthNet Global and Avesha.”

Dr. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, stated that “By augmenting doctor’s ability to detect, AI has been proved to improve physician’s accuracy. Early detection and removal of polyps can easily avoid them from becoming cancerous. Apollo has always been a forerunner in the adoption of technology. Our patient-centric approach keeps us on an outlook for technologies which can make outcomes better.”

Reiterating Chitkara’s and Dr. Reddy’s praise for 5G and AI as useful tools for developing healthcare, Vaishali Kasture, Head-Enterprise, Mid-Market & Global Businesses, India & South Asia, AWS India said, “5G and edge technologies offer high speed and real-time data analysis that can help transform the delivery of healthcare. AI inference provides better insight and information to healthcare professionals to predict, diagnose, and treat patients more effectively.”