Google’s Modified Microscope, AR Imaging, Help Detect Cancer

23 Apr 2018

The new modifications uses neural networks and a compiled database to detect cancer cells on a given tissue. The new technology has room for potential for developing countries and those who are under-funded. Detected cancer cells using the AR microscope. (All Images via Google)

Google has introduced a new prototype that could be used to help diagnose patients with cancer and other diseases. The prototype's focus was presented at the American Association for Cancer Research as an AR (Augmented Reality) microscope. It can take awhile to analyze certain tissues that may have been infected by cancer cells, both to get an idea of what kind of cancer it is and exactly how many there are. In some places, this type of technology just isn't possible because of the costs associated with it. That's where the microscope's functionality comes into play. It would benefit those who run small research centers and labs, as well as those who are in developing countries. The potential for this is wide as it has the advantage of being used in a simplistic approach by pathologists around the world.

Modifications were only made to the microscope to fit the needs of the prototype as it is just a regular microscope without the use of AI technology and augmented reality. It works by having the technology trained with neural networks to detect cancerous cells in images of human tissues. Afterward, the image is inserted into a computer which the system can see and then outlines the image as it was seen through the eyepiece of the microscope. This is all done at the same time and is effective and fast-paced that it's still easy to see even when a pathologist moves the slide to observe another area of the same tissue.

To date, Google has implemented this idea with both *** and prostate cancer, allowing details and accuracies to be exact as it is shown. However, it's not limited to just those two types of cancers as it could very well be used to detect other types of cancers and infectious diseases, also allowing other types of data to be viewed by the same concept. To put impressions on the AI technology, researchers have put 30,000 images of cancerous and pre-cancerous cells into a database to help determine differences between the two. After this stage, the researchers put it in an image of colorectal polyp with magnification increased to 500. A second later, the system was able to determine whether or not the polyp was cancerous.

The use of the AR microscope has many benefits as well and be used in a broad range of subjects to help closely examine and identify various concerns related to illnesses.

The system and implementation of the AR microscope aren't perfect, just yet and will need further review to fully understand and analyze the capabilities of the technology. The assessments will need to be conducted and reviewed further. Especially when it comes to in-depth analysis and the performance, flaws and errors thee system may come across when it's used further.