DRDO’s ATMAN: For rapid COVID-19 detection using AI

ATMAN workflow. src: link

The DRDO has developed an AI-Based Intelligent and rapid COVID-19 detector (ATMAN) that uses Chest X-rays images to predict if the patient has contracted COVID-19 in seconds. The prediction can then be used by an Expert medical professional for further diagnosis or confirmation tests like RT-PCR.

The ATMAN web based application classifies the Chest X-rays images into the following 3 classes using a limited number of sample images:

1. Normal
2. Covid-19
3. Pneumonia

The ATMAN back end uses a Deep CNN network that is designed to accurately detect Covid-19 even with limited availability of Covid X-ray images for the network to learn.

Covid-19 starts affecting the lungs even before the patient actually starts showing significant symptoms. Thus, compared to the hours-long RT-PCR test, this X-ray based diagnostic software can detect the infection in its early stages in seconds.

Finally, according to DRDO, ATMAN has been tested and validated by the doctors from M/s HCG Centre for Academics and Research, Bengaluru and M/s Ankh Life Care, Bengaluru who have also helped by providing data and relevant medical domain knowledge.