Medtronic says it has begun working with U.S.-based computer chip maker Nvidia on a platform for artificial intelligence applications to run on its medical devices.
The companies hope to create a medical device marketplace for AI apps, using Medtronic devices and running on Nvidia’s chips, where physicians and developers would be able to create their own algorithms to use on the machines. New algorithms generally require a rigorous review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but Medtronic said it may help some developers win that approval.
The companies said Tuesday that they plan to incorporate Nvidia’s healthcare platforms into Medtronic’s GI Genius endoscopy device, to start.
“Our wish is to have millions of developers across the globe taking a look at the opportunity to improve some of the challenging real-time procedures and decision-making that our customers need to take every day,” Giovanni Di Napoli, president of Medtronic’s gastrointestinal business, said in an interview.
Nvidia Vice President of Healthcare Kimberly Powell said in an interview that more medical device companies are becoming interested in real-time AI applications, which can give physicians timely insights that can help inform their clinical decisions.
