Diabetes, particularly Type 2 diabetes, can lead to complications such as diabetic retinopathy (DR)—a condition that, if left untreated, results in irreversible vision loss.
It is the leading cause of vision loss for people with diabetes. One in three people with diabetes older than 40 years have some signs of DR.
With nearly 14% of the population above 18 years living with diabetes, the need for comprehensive eye care is a necessity. However, there are only limited specialists available to serve such a huge population, especially in underserved areas.
Artelus is bridging this gap with innovative AI technology to ensure individuals receive timely diagnosis and treatment.
Here’s how.
Artelus: Improving eye care with AI-powered solutions
Artelus, a premier Indian healthtech company, is a pioneer in democratising quality eye care access. It employs advanced AI with innovative hardware for the early detection and treatment of DR and other diseases. It aims to advance diagnosis for the underserved population.
Through its convenient and inexpensive portable systems, Artelus helps medical staff provide excellent eye care services in remote and resource-constrained settings.
Artelus’s innovative solutions:
- Enhance diagnostic accuracy: It leverages sophisticated AI algorithms for image analysis, disease detection, and risk stratification.
- Streamline clinical workflows: Simplifies the eye health screening and diagnostic process for healthcare providers.
- Portable and easy to use: Artelus devices are designed to be portable and user-friendly, making them suitable for use in various clinical settings, including remote and resource-limited areas.
- Focus on patient care: They focus on patient comfort and convenience, minimising the need for pupil dilation and enabling quick and efficient examinations.
Artelus products and services
The company’s solutions combine AI and innovative technologies to improve diagnostic accuracy and expand access to quality eye care. They equip doctors and ophthalmologists with advanced screening tools to improve care outcomes.
Artelus LCHP OCT
It is an advanced optical coherence tomography (OCT) system that incorporates cutting-edge AI for high-quality retinal imaging. Features include:
- Enhanced image quality: Artelus Luminet software enhances image quality by reducing noise, sharpening image distinctions, and improving retinal layer segmentation.
- User-friendly design: The NFC700 and NFC600 models offer intuitive operation with automatic 3D tracking and focusing, enabling effortless image capture with a single button press.
- Portable and versatile: These tools are designed for portability to support medical teams across different healthcare settings, including remote clinics and community health centres.
DRISTi
DRISTi is an AI-powered screening system that accurately detects and grades Diabetic Retinopathy (DR). Key features include:
- High sensitivity and specificity: Accurately identifies DR with a sensitivity and specificity exceeding 90%.
- Advanced AI capabilities: Segments lesions and abnormalities within fundus images, providing valuable insights for clinicians.
- Offline capability: Enables point-of-care diagnostics in remote areas with limited internet connectivity.
Hansanet
This AI-powered image quality assessment software ensures the reliability of retinal images. Hansanet utilises deep learning to identify and mitigate issues such as poor lighting, artefacts, and operator errors, providing high-quality images for accurate diagnosis.
Nimi and Sushruta
Artelus’ Nimi and Sushruta go beyond detecting the presence of Diabetic Retinopathy. They identify DR while precisely segmenting the fundus image and locating the exact position of lesions or abnormalities.
This helps clinicians develop a correct and accurate diagnosis of the severity of DR and formulate the appropriate course of treatment.
Driving innovation: The team behind Artelus
Aretelus was founded in 2015 by Rajarajeshwari Kodhandapani, Vish Durga, Lalit Pant and Pradeep Walia, a serial entrepreneur driven by a passion for democratising healthcare. It started with a mission to revolutionise care through innovative AI-powered solutions.
This dynamic team, composed of tech veterans and passionate individuals, has consistently pushed the boundaries of what is possible in ophthalmology, striving to make quality eye care accessible to all.
Awards and recognitions
The company has garnered recognition for its cutting-edge technology and contribution to improving global eye health. The company has achieved several milestones, including:
- Winning the LVPEI Eye Care Start-up Competition: This prestigious award recognised Artelus’s development of a highly portable and cost-effective OCT device that delivers image quality comparable to much more expensive systems.
- Recognition at HCPS2020: Artelus was honoured as the Best HealthTech firm at the Healthcare & Pharmaceutical Summit 2020, further solidifying its position as a leader in ophthalmic innovation.
- Inclusion in the NASSCOM EMERGE50 League-of-Ten: This recognition highlights Artelus’s potential as a high-growth company driving innovation within the Indian technology ecosystem.
Shaping the future of care: Artelus’ vision for the future
Artelus envisions a future where everyone has access to quality care, regardless of location or socioeconomic status. Through AI technology, Artelus dreams of incorporating its solutions into public health systems to help underserved communities access quality and affordable care.
It aims to:
- Empower healthcare providers
- Prioritise early intervention
- Partner with NGOs and community screening initiatives
- Leverage government initiatives
Furthermore, the company plans to expand its AI-enabled diagnostic solutions for other critical conditions such as glaucoma, tuberculosis, pneumonia, breast cancer, multiple sclerosis, lung cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
These solutions are presently being thoroughly tested and piloted. They hold the potential to revolutionize early disease detection and healthcare outcomes across a spectrum of conditions.
