When IBM’s Watson computing system defeated Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter to become the hands-down “Ultimate Challenge” Jeopardy champion, it was widely revered as the next giant leap in artificial intelligence. Its ability to discern the nuances and intricacies of human language combined with the speed with which it identified the correct response was unparalleled; as was its potential for commercial application.
Now, IBM has teamed up with Nuance Healthcare – a supplier of Medical Intelligence solutions – to research a technology that could graduate the computing system into “Doctor Watson.” Their plan is to create a system that could instantly search through decades of medical research to help physicians determine a confidence-rated set of possible diagnoses.
Independent researchers also expect “Dr. Watson” to be able to look into electronic health records, medical websites, and individual blog postings to collect anecdotal data on the signs and symptoms of different illnesses.
Although its production is still in the refinement stages, the two companies expect the fruit of their collaborative efforts to be available for commercial use within 18-24 months. They have even enlisted the help of the Columbia University Medical Center and the University of Maryland School Of Medicine to identify any critical issues and determine the best way for the technology to interact with medical practitioners.
“Watson has the potential to help doctors reduce the time needed to evaluate and determine the correct diagnosis for a patient,” said Dr. Herbert Chase, professor of Clinical Medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. “We also believe Watson has the ability to help doctors provide personalized treatment options that are tailored to an individual patient’s needs.”
