Artificial Intelligence (AI) to beat ear disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids
Our Partners
DrumBeat.ai is an innovative, translational and collaborative partnership between universities, tech companies, government and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to beat severe ear disease in rural and remote children
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living in rural and remote Australia have the highest rates of ear disease in the world.
Ear disease can cause hearing loss, language impairment, poor school performance and long-term joblessness.
ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) Specialists are almost impossible to find in rural and remote areas.
We are using AI and smartphones to screen Aboriginal kids' ears for ear disease, bringing world-leading tech to the Aussie Outback.
Our high-tech AI algorithm will put the power of an ENT specialist in the hands of Outback Aboriginal health care workers
Discover
Using a first-in-the-world database of tens of thousands of ear-scan images, labelled by ENT specialists, an AI algorithm is being developed to automatically identify ear disease.
Predict
Identify children who need to see a specialist and predict high-risk children that require urgent treatment before complications develop (e.g. infections of the ears, brain or blood, permanent hearing loss).
Integrate
Integrate into existing screening programs to improve efficiency, time-to-treatment and reduce costs by focusing resources on kids who need specialist care.
As seen in
Publications
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Evaluating the generalizability of deep learning image classification algorithms to detect middle ear disease using otoscopy
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Artificial intelligence to classify ear disease from otoscopy: A systematic review and meta-analysis
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An Artificial Intelligence Computer-vision Algorithm to Triage Otoscopic Images From Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children
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Inter-rater agreement between 13 otolaryngologists to diagnose otitis media in aboriginal and Torres Strait islander children using a telehealth approach
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Artificial intelligence to detect tympanic membrane perforations
Awards
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Abstract Competition Prize (2022)
Selected as the winner of the 2022 AIMed Global Summit abstract competition in San Francisco, California for innovative and impactful research integrating AI and healthcare.
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Mi-Tec Research Prize (2022)
Awarded the Mi-Tec prize at the 2022 RACS Annual Scientific Congress for best subspecialty verbal presentation in the field of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.
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Conference Research Prize (2022)
The Academy of Child and Adolescent Health (ACAH), established in 2016, promotes the health and wellbeing of every newborn, child and young person in order that they may meet their maximum potential. The 2022 ACAH annual conference focused on “gamechanging” and innovative research projects that could significantly improve health and well-being of children and young people.
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Neville Davis Prize (2021)
The Neville Davis Prize was established in 1983 through the Queensland State Committee, and named after Dr Neville Coleman Davis AO, FRACS. This premier research prize is awarded to best clinical paper presented at the RACS Queensland State Committee’s Annual Scientific Meeting.
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Doctor In Training Scholarship (2021)
Since its launch in 2012, the Avant Doctor in Training Research Scholarship Program has funded 128 research projects worth nearly $3.5 million. The program provides funding for emerging medical researchers to conduct projects that contribute to a stronger future for healthcare, while advancing their careers.
Our Mission
Project Team
Dr Al-Rahim Habib (1,2)
Dr Graeme Crossland (3)
Dr Hemi Patel (3)
Associate Professor Brent Richards (4)
Associate Professor Kelvin Kong (5)
Professor Chris Perry (6)
Associate Professor Hasantha Gunasekera (2,7)
Professor Raymond Sacks (2)
Chief Investigator - Associate Professor Narinder Singh (1,2)
Affiliations
(1) Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Westmead Hospital
(2) Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney
(3) Royal Darwin Hospital, Top End Health Service, Department of Health, Northern Territory
(4) Griffith University
(5) School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle
(6) University of Queensland
(7) The Children’s Hospital at Westmead
