Japan based Olympus Corporation took part in a ground-breaking project as a business promoter, in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), entitled, ‘Survey Study for International Expansion of AI Diagnosis Support System Using Ultra-High Magnifying Endoscopes in India’. The project aims to develop advanced endoscopy diagnostics in India, where there are relatively few endoscopists.

In collaboration with CYBERNET SYSTEMS CO, LTD, Olympus has established an AI diagnostic support system at a major medical institution, the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (AIG) based in Hyderabad, India. Specialist lecturers and physicians from Showa University Northern Yokohama Hospital provided expert guidance to AIG doctors. In addition to training AIG doctors in techniques for detecting diseases and differential diagnosis by colonoscope, they also trained the doctors on how to instruct the next generation of endoscopists.

The project started on October 12. At the kick-off meeting, Satoshi Hemmi, Deputy Director-General, Information and Communications Bureau, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications commented, "We hope to contribute to the spread of AI endoscopy systems and the development of medical care in India through training future leaders in AI endoscopy systems in India. We also hope that the cooperation between India and Japan in the field of healthcare ICT will continue to develop."

In addition to the ultra-magnifying scope Endocyto released last year, Olympus will release endoscopic diagnostic support software equipped with AI in India from December. The endoscopic diagnostic support software EndoBRAIN and EndoBRAIN-EYE will be utilised for physician training in India. Olympus intends to assist in the development of physicians and promote the use of endoscopic diagnostics.

MIC aims to realise the sustainable development goal and SDG pledges to ensure ‘no one will be left behind’. To this end, the MIC aims to realise a model that contributes to SDG through digitisation and to disseminate and promote an SDG + ICT model domestically and overseas between both public and private sectors. This project aims to contribute to the introduction and dissemination of Japan's endoscopic AI diagnostic support system to India and neighbouring countries in response to the social issue of increasing cancer prevalence in India.