UP okays studies for early cancer detection

Noida: In a push to technology, Uttar Pradesh government’s Department of Science and Technology has approved over 100 research studies on using technologies like artificial intelligence and block chain in sectors like healthcare and renewable energy, by leading educational institutes, including IIT-Kanpur, MNNIT and KGMU, officials said.

These government-funded research studies are aimed at developing applications and systems for early throat cancer detection in tobacco users, correcting sitting posture among desk workers, aiding people with disability with special wheelchairs, etc.

A meeting for this was held in Lucknow on October 5 under the chairmanship of Narendra Bhooshan, Principal Secretary, Department of Science and Technology and Director General Council of Science and Technology, a senior official said. At the meeting, a total of 109 research proposals were approved, which is the highest number of such approvals, said Anil Yadav, Director of the Council of Science and Technology, Uttar Pradesh.

These studies would cost an expenditure of Rs 14 crore, he said. The council noted that desk workers continue to work for several hours while sitting at the same seat for long durations, leading to back pain and spondylitis, among other health issues. “To overcome this problem, the help of artificial intelligence, machine learning and IoT-based real time posture correction system is to be developed by Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT), Prayagraj.

The research work for this has been approved and the system would help desk workers get a warning every time they have their posture wrong,” Yadav said. “The department noted that diagnosis of cancer is often delayed in cases where users consume ‘paan’ and tobacco. IIT-Kanpur will develop a healthcare application using artificial intelligence and advance endoscopic imaging which will help in early detection of this serious disease so that early diagnosis and treatment of patients can be done to prevent loss of life,” he said.