A professor at the Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, has developed 'EchoPulse', an innovative system that integrates artificial intelligence with virtual reality to make the diagnosis of heart diseases faster, more accurate, and easier to interpret for medical professionals, the institute announced.
How EchoPulse Works
The system analyzes ECG data by automatically identifying patterns in heart function, significantly reducing the need for manual interpretation. By doing so, it enables doctors to quickly assess cardiac performance and detect abnormalities at an early stage, said developer A C S Rao. The addition of VR technology allows clinicians to visualize heart activity in an interactive 3D environment, making complex data more accessible and transparent.
Self-Supervised Learning Approach
Rao explained that the system uses advanced self-supervised learning techniques to analyze cardiac volume time-series data directly, without requiring extensive prior labeling. 'This approach allows EchoPulse to autonomously identify meaningful physiological patterns, thereby simplifying complex datasets for real-world clinical use,' he said.
Key Capabilities
The system is also capable of estimating key clinical indicators such as the heart's pumping efficiency, a crucial parameter in diagnosing various cardiovascular conditions. Its clear and visual presentation of results is expected to assist not only experienced cardiologists but also medical trainees in understanding patient data more effectively, Rao added.
Funding and Impact
The project has received research funding of around Rs 47 lakh from the Anusandhan National Research Foundation. It is expected to play a key role in improving early diagnosis, enhancing clinical decision-making, and advancing reliable healthcare delivery.
With expertise in machine learning, bioinformatics, and data-driven systems, Rao has contributed to multiple research domains, including disease prediction and medical imaging.
