Google Cloud is working with the US Department of Defense (DoD) to deliver an augmented reality (AR) microscope for cancer diagnoses. The project, for the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), more widely involves prototyping an AI-enabled digital pathology solution at select DoD facilities. The company cited research from the Veterans Affairs Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety which found up to 5% of outpatient diagnoses were conducted in error. The goal of the DIU-Google Cloud project is therefore to help improve the accuracy of diagnosis.
The AR microscope will overlay AI-based information for doctors giving them cancer detection tools at the point of care. This will include Google tools such as TensorFlow, a framework to deliver machine learning models, as well as the Google Cloud Healthcare API for privacy. Healthcare is one of the three primary industries Google Cloud targets, alongside retail and financial services, while virtual and augmented reality usage is becoming increasingly influential in the health industry. In June, for instance, a study explored how AR can help in visualising spinal injuries, as well as assist in procedures.
More information: