AIkenist – Faster and Affordable Diagnosis
Many new revolutionary technologies have arisen in medical science, which have added new dimensions and new diagnostic methods to the world of healing. Excellent treatments have also developed. AI has also brought a new revolution in the world of medical science. In the last few years, new technology has changed the world of medical science.
For the past two decades, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been a powerful means of diagnosis in medical science. The mastery of MRI in presenting live images of the internal organs is amazing. The perfect diagnosis on time is the first and vital step in any kind of treatment. In this scenario, AIkenist is accelerating the imaging process with its top-notch and comprehensive AI-based offerings.
In a talk with Mr. Ashwin Amarapuram, Co-Founder and CEO at AIkenist, he shared his views on the current industry scenario and how AIkenist is transforming the health sector.
What inspired you to start AIkenist? Please brief us on AIkenist.
I was always interested in the socially relevant healthcare sector. Any tech work in that space used to inspire me. I had been an entrepreneur for 10 years building a successful deep tech company. Since my interest was in Healthtech, I started AIkenist in this space.
Aikenist provides AI accelerated imaging for faster and affordable diagnosis. We initially started working on early diagnosis for Cancer using CT/MRI. When we approached Hospitals and Diagnostic centers with a solution, we found that the real problem is in the access to imaging modality itself. MRI which is a golden standard for diagnosis of critical illness is safe. Yet it is costly, inconvenient, and slow. Our first product QuickScan accelerates MRI scan by 4x.
This means 20 minutes will now take 5 minutes with our scan. 20 scans per day per machine will be increased to 40 scans per day per machine. 10 million scans per year can be doubled so that they can be used for regular diagnosis. We also provide COVID 19 diagnosis solution based on X-Ray. The analysis can be done remotely and viewed remotely as a telemedicine application.
What were the initial challenges you faced?
The problem we are solving is unique and challenging. We provided a very innovative solution in this space using AI. We need to work with a multi-expert team with knowledge in MRI physics, AI, Cloud engineering, and Clinical analysis. The big challenge is the ability to collect relevant data and do clinical trials.
Which was that point that triggered the growth of AIkenist?
The solution is very much needed in the market. Since there is a huge queue for MRI diagnosis, there is no doubt about the requirement of this kind of solution. Similarly, our COVID solution is very much needed in these times. We are seeing good growth once we launch the solution to the market.
What is the reason behind AIkenist’s long-standing success?
Innovation, hard work, team commitment, and support from our partners and customers.
QuickScan enhances patient convenience and improves return on investment for hospitals and diagnostic centers.
What are the products AIkenist focuses on? How are your products different from those in the market?
Aikenist provides 2 products:
- QuickScan: QuickScan accelerates MRI scanning by 4x which means 20 mins scan can take 5 mins now. The solution enhances patient convenience and improves return on investment for hospitals and diagnostic centers. The solution is based on very innovative technology using AI-based algorithms.
- Quickdiag: QuickDiag COVID19 which detects COVID-19 infection of lungs using AI analysis of X-Ray/CT scan and quantifies the extent of the damage.
Both solutions are implemented on the cloud as a telemedicine application.
How do you decide to take the company a step further in terms of your products/services?
We will be expanding the solution to multiple regions and geographies. We are approaching hospitals in the Middle East and APAC. We want to be a leading provider of Telemedicine solutions based on AI for Medical Imaging
Can you please brief us about your professional experience?
I have 20+ years of experience in deep tech companies. I have done a master’s from IISc and worked on many AI applications from the beginning. I have been an entrepreneur for the last 10 years building deep tech companies from India for the world.
What are the key achievements of your entrepreneurial journey?
I have built the first Indian language speech recognition engine for mobile phones and it got released to the market on Motorola mobile phones in 2007. I have built a leading video analytics company AllGoVision and grown it into a successful business.
How do you look after your employees? What makes your team unique?
Employees are the pillars of company success and they are part of the family. I make sure that I understand Employee needs very well and strive to fulfill that.
Please share your views on the current Tele-Medicine industry scenario.
Telemedicine will democratize healthcare. Access to universal basic healthcare is a necessity and this can be achieved through good telemedicine solutions which help people to access quality healthcare at an affordable cost. We are in a very nascent stage, the benefits are clear. It is going to grow multifold so that everyone has access to telemedicine applications from their devices.
One person, who you admire the most?
I admire Bill Gates and Jonas Salk the most. They have been a source of motivation for me for a long.
Whose business story do you find the most inspiring?
Elon Musk. Elon Musk’s innovative vision made him what he is today. His passion to create something futuristic inspires me a lot.
It’s a rat race out there. How do you cope with that?
Keep yourself competitive. Work on the most cutting-edge tech.
Intuition will tell the thinking mind where to look next.
Jonas Salk
