There are about 430 million people worldwide with hearing loss. Artificial intelligence (AI) can assist in the drug treatment of hearing loss patients.
Christos Bergeles, a research leader in biomedical engineering and imaging sciences at King’s College London, noted on the 7th during the ‘Golden Triangle Life Science Open Innovation Forum’ held at COEX in Gangnam, Seoul, that the forum was established as a special session for ‘Bio Korea 2025’ to share the latest technologies and seek cooperation in the bio and digital health sectors between Korea, the UK, and Japan.
Dr. Bergeles explained that AI can help treat hearing loss patients and reduce misdiagnoses. Hearing loss is a condition where individuals cannot properly hear due to decreased hearing ability. Treating hearing loss requires injecting medication into the eardrum or cochlea with a needle, but the needle is difficult to see, and even with anesthesia, the patient may move, making it challenging.
He said, “Using AI and surgical robots allows for precise recognition of the internal structures of the ear, enabling accurate delivery of medication to the correct location,” adding that this approach could also be utilized for cataract and retinal treatments.
Experts expect AI will also assist in the treatment of cancer and dementia patients. Professor Kang So-hyun of Bundang Seoul National University Hospital’s Department of Surgery noted, “When stomach cancer is transferred to the abdomen, it is not very visible.” He said that using AI would allow for a more accurate diagnosis of how the cancer has transferred.
AI can also help with simple administrative paperwork in hospitals. Professor Kang stated, “From a physician’s perspective, being very busy treating patients makes it a significant concern regarding how much AI can reduce paperwork.”
Ramin Nilforooshan, a professor of neuroscience at Imperial College London, said, “Many people suffer from dementia, but currently, the care is limited to nursing homes,” adding that using AI enables personalized treatment. He explained, “By collecting data on how dementia patients open and close doors at home, we can analyze their behavioral patterns. If they show any unusual behavior, we can recognize that something is wrong and provide tailored treatment.”
Kenji Doya, a professor of neural computation at Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology in Japan, noted, “We can study reinforcement learning of the brain through AI.” Reinforcement learning is a training method where rather than continuously teaching specific behaviors to a puppy, praise or rewards such as food are given when the behavior occurs by chance.
He mentioned, “My cat knows that when it touches the automatic feeder bowl, food will come out,” adding that determining how to act to maximize future rewards is reinforcement learning. He continued, “Through this research, we can understand how the brain learns and functions.”