AI-BASED SOLUTIONS:
HEALTHCARE
Shishu Maapan (for baby growth monitoring): Deployment and capacity building for Asha and field Workers
Shishu Maapan is an innovative solution that brings AI to frontline workers (FLWs) via their entry-level Android smartphones. By analyzing short videos taken by ASHAs on basic smartphones, Shishu Maapan can estimate measurements of newborns, including weight, length, head circumference, and chest circumference. This user-friendly method simplifies the process for ASHAs and other frontline workers, ensuring accurate and reliable data collection. The tool also automates the scheduling of Home-Based Newborn Care (HBNC) visits, provides tamper-proof data, and functions even in remote areas with limited internet connectivity. With Shishu Maapan, there’s no need for bulky weighing equipment or physical record-keeping. Measurements are seamlessly integrated into a digital pipeline, allowing ASHAs to focus on their core work, attending to accurate measurements of critical parameters. They do not need to handle the baby and can allow the newborn to be in its natural state. Deployed in Daman in June 2024, we have trained nearly 100 FLWs from four Primary Health Centers to use Shishu Maapan for anthropometric measurements during visits to newborns up to 42 days old. Over the coming months, we will continue to train more ASHAs, ANMs, and medical officers, aiming to enhance their daily work with our seamless, practical AI tool.
AI-Powered Screening of Diabetic Retinopathy:Wadhwani AI, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, has developed an AI solution that analyzes retinal photographs to detect and grade the severity of DR. Deployed at AIIMS, New Delhi, the solution analyzes retinal images and provides a grade-wise prediction of diabetic retinopathy as ‘No DR,’ ‘Mild DR’, ‘Moderate DR,’ ‘Severe DR’, or ‘Proliferative DR’. Optometrists and field investigators capture retinal images using portable or tabletop fundus imaging devices and upload them for instant AI inference. The AI algorithm grades the severity of DR, eliminating the need for a retinal specialist to analyze the photographs. This ensures that only patients identified for treatment are referred to specialized centers like AIIMS, streamlining the referral process for users.
AGRICULTURE
National Pest Surveillance System: Celebrating 78 years of Independent India, Wadhwani AI launched the National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS) along with the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. Launched on August 15, 2024, by Hon'ble Agriculture Minister Sh. Shivraj Singh Chouhan, NPSS was introduced with a live-streamed event for farmers nationwide. Developed by Wadhwani AI with support from Google.org, this computer vision-based system helps farmers manage pests and diseases in real-time using their mobile phones. NPSS provides expert-curated crop protection advisories and includes a ‘Pest Quantitative (Trap)’ module. This module features a trap-based monitoring model that recommends pesticides based on detected pest infestation levels, representing a significant advancement in empowering farmers to safeguard their crops and livelihoods from economic losses.
EDUCATION
Automated Reading Fluency Assessment: Vaachan Samiksha, Wadhwani AI’s tool solution for assessing oral reading fluency is designed to assist teachers and public education programs in conducting reliable, verifiable, scalable, and user-friendly assessments. Deployed in Gujarat, the tool supports teachers in tailored remediation efforts and reduces their assessment workload, while also facilitating the development of individualized learning pathways. The AI model analyzes student-read passages, providing metrics such as Correct Words Per Minute (CWPM), Incorrect Words, Missed Words, Extra Words, and Pauses. It serves as an assessment and remediation tool for foundational learning and literacy, benefiting both teachers and students in public schools.
EmoticonEmoticon