At a day-long conference held on September 5, 2024, at the iHub Anubhuti IIITD Foundation of Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi (IIIT Delhi), medical professionals, engineers, scientists, and other stakeholders discussed AI-driven solutions to improve healthcare outcomes. The conference, titled “AI in Healthcare: Bridging the Gap Between Medicine and Engineering,” focused on the interdisciplinary collaboration necessary to enhance patient care and optimize clinical processes.
Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), delivered the inaugural address, emphasizing the transformative potential of the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) in healthcare. He highlighted the importance of integrating expertise from AI, clinical sciences, and basic sciences to harness India’s vast data sets, improve healthcare access, and address the strain on the country’s healthcare facilities. Prof. Karandikar outlined the mission’s goal of recalibrating efforts over the next three years to achieve meaningful advancements.
The event was organized by DST and five Technology Innovation Hubs (TiHs) under the NM-ICPS, with support from AIIMS Delhi. It aimed to identify key challenges in healthcare, promote interdisciplinary research, and explore practical AI applications. c encouraged participants to propose actionable recommendations that would foster interdisciplinary R&D programs involving engineers, scientists, doctors, and clinicians.
The conference saw participation from key figures in the field, including:
- Dr. Ranjan Bose, Director, IIIT Delhi
- Dr. Ekta Kapoor, Head of FFT Division, DST
- Dr. Pushpendra Singh and Dr. Vikram Goyal, Project Directors, iHub Anubhuti-IIITD Foundation
Additionally, professionals like Dr. Sandeep Aggarwal from Manipal Hospitals, Dr. Sanjeev Sinha from AIIMS Delhi, and Dr. Moushumi Suryavanshi from Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences offered valuable insights into the intersection of AI and healthcare.
Interactive panel discussions on topics such as “Perspective of AI in Healthcare from Medical Community” and “Perspective of AI in Healthcare from Engineering Community” further explored collaborative strategies between medicine and engineering. Attendees also visited the Medical Cobotics Center (MCC), which provided a hands-on understanding of AI’s potential in healthcare innovations.
The conference laid a strong foundation for future interdisciplinary collaborations, bringing AI solutions closer to real-world healthcare applications in India.
