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An AI and machine learning model tuned to decode hastily scrawled notes from doctors:
Google is developing an AI model that can decipher difficult-to-read handwriting, with a focus on notes and prescriptions written by doctors. The search giant announced during its annual conference in India on Monday that it was working with pharmacists to create a tool in Google Lens that can decode messily written medical notes (via TechCrunch).
Google showcased the feature during the event, demonstrating its capability to specifically detect medicines in a handwritten prescription. There's no detail yet on when the new text deciphering feature is expected to launch, only that "much work still remains to be done before this system is ready for the real world."
From the TechCrunch article:
[...] The feature, currently a research prototype and not ready for the public yet, allows users to either take a picture of the prescription or upload one from the photo library. Once the image is processed, the app detects and highlights the medicines mentioned in the note, a Google executive demonstrated.
"This will act as an assistive technology for digitizing handwritten medical documents by augmenting the humans in the loop such as pharmacists, however no decision will be made solely based on the output provided by this technology," the company said in a statement.
(Score: 2) by pe1rxq on Thursday December 22, @09:12PM (4 children)
In a sane world the doctor would be typing the prescription (Mine is), and the problem simple seases to exist.
Only for google itself would this make any sense.
It puts a shitload of computing power at work with questionable results and the added bonus of completly screwing doctor patient confidentiality.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 22, @11:04PM
> In a sane world the doctor would be typing the prescription
^ this ^
Much too simple for Google to make any money on, so it's bound to be marginalized, grrrrr.
(Score: 2) by Immerman on Friday December 23, @12:21AM (2 children)
Hear, hear.
Considering how long as it's been a problem, you'd think they'd make typed (or at least neatly printed) orders on prescriptions and medical charts a requirement to maintain a medical license in good standing.
I mean, you're getting paid a ridiculous amount to perform the diagnosis. Which becomes completely useless and even potentially fatal if it's mistreated because you couldn't spend an extra three seconds writing the prescribed treatment down clearly.
(Score: 1) by anubi on Friday December 23, @02:56AM (1 child)
The doctor knows what he wants.
What we need is a menu driven interface so the doctor can be absolutely precise in making sure everyone is on the same page.
I wrote some more down the page on my thoughts on this...how to precisely describe a drug, yet keep this info private between the doctor, patient, and pharmacist. The weak point is the pharmacist, as that's where there's a conjunction of drug ID and payment information.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 2) by Immerman on Friday December 23, @04:22AM
The doctor also knows a mature and well established way of communicating what he wants without any risk of tech failure:
Writing.
That he chooses to scribble instead is nobody's fault but his own.