A group of 11 MMU researchers added a new weapon in the fight against the Covid-19 outbreak, and simultaneously bagged a Silver Medal in the Malaysia Technology Expo (MTE) 2020 Special Edition – COVID-19 International Innovation Awards through their innovation entitled, COV_CTX: Lung Ct-Scans and X-Rays Artificial Intelligence Enabled Analyzer For COVID-19 Cases.
Artificial intelligence (Ai) was used in the COV-CTX system to analyse images of lung x-rays and CT scans for signs of Covid-19 infection. As an alternative tool for diagnostic and clinical management of Covid-19 patients under several criteria, lung images are recommended by the WHO.
The COV CTX system also comes with a management feature for patients. In particular, it has the main diagnostic functions using lung images, management of patient records, location tracking features for patient whereabouts monitoring, and remote health monitoring via the self-assessment of the patient.
The main inventors are MMU postgraduate students, Md Armanur Rahman, Chy Mohammed Tawsif Khan and Sharifah Noor Masidayu Sayed Ismail. They were led by Dr. Nor Azlina Ab Aziz as supervisor and other academics from various faculties namely, Dr. Nor Hidayati Abdul Aziz, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kamarulzaman Ab. Aziz, Ts. Ms. Siti Zainab Ibrahim, Dr. Md Jakir Hossen, Syabeela Syahali, Norhidayah Mohamad, and Muharniza Azinita Musa.
COV_CTX system is developed as a web-based, and Android mobile application mainly targeted to be used by medical practitioners and health authorities as well as the patients.
“Our team would like to contribute to the ongoing efforts to contain the Covid-19 outbreak. Thus, the COV_CTX system is developed to offer the front-liners a faster diagnostic tool as a supplement to the current array of solutions against Covid-19,” said Dr. Nor Azlina, on behalf of the researchers.
The system produces deep learning analysis with a 97% accuracy rate on x-rays and ct-scan chest images of symptomatic patients without the need for human assistance. Additional features are also included to ensure that suspected Covid-19 patients adhere to home quarantine and also monitor their health condition remotely, which are among the challenges faced by health authorities to prevent the spread of the virus within the community.
As a web-based and Android mobile application, COV-CTX is therefore developed to provide its main diagnostic function and additional features to assist health authorities in monitoring patients’ whereabouts, remote monitoring of their condition via self-assessment features, remote consultation, etc.
The COV_CTX for doctors application, delivers the diagnostic functions as well as patients management functions such as treatment recommendations, etc. The COV_CTX for patients application delivers the telehealth and quarantine adherence monitoring functions. These user based interfaces ensure COV_CTX ability to be the holistic Covid-19 solution.
