IIT Madras develops AI-powered ultrasound scanner

The Indian Institute of Technology, Madras researchers have created an innovative portable ultrasound scanner. It is specifically designed for sports injury and diagnosis and management. The Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) device, it is built by the centre of excellence in Sports Science and Analytics (CESSA). It has capability to revolutionise how sports injuries are diagnosed, specifically on the field by offering immediate assessments.

The AI-powered POCUS scanner provides for real-time injury diagnosis during matches or training sessions. Medical professionals in a short period of time can determine the extent of the injury and make crucial decisions on weather a player can continue to play.

The scanner offers an important benefit in sports medicine by reducing the time between the occurrence of injury and its diagnosis.

As Professor Arun K Thittai, the lead researcher from the Department of Applied Mechanics and Biomedical Engineering at IIT Madras, told "A quick assessment for musculoskeletal injuries on the field will help sports players get immediate attention and focus on recovery."

While, Ramesh Kumar, CEO of CESSA, praised the project, saying, “This device is one more innovative product with a complete effort focused on indigenisation, which we believe will have a huge impact in the sporting field.”

This invention can be a significant effort towards managing athletes’ injuries and rehabilitation. It would enhance the care the sports people receive, during the training and competition. The scanner has feature to feed into a larger AI platform for holistic athlete management .The broader system is expected to collect data from the POCUS device. So, it could create personalised recovery plans.

Professor Thittai added, "We are currently exploring all options to take up POCUS for musculoskeletal imaging for commercial translation."

IIT Madras’s CESSA is committed to innovation and development in sports science. Apart from that, IIT Madras has continuously thrived for development and betterment.