About This Project
We are a global cohort based program uniting engineers, scientists, and medical practitioners to leverage new multimodal AI foundation models on low-cost hardware like used smartphones (<$50) and SMS-based cell phones. Over a 3-month virtual program, participants will build solutions such as AI-enhanced diagnostic tools and telemedicine platforms to increase access to quality healthcare in Ghana. Partnering with the OKB Hope Foundation, we aim to move from idea to gathering first data points.
Ask the Scientists
Join The DiscussionWhat is the context of this research?
Access to quality healthcare is unevenly distributed between urban and rural regions in Ghana, further intensified by the need for gaps in training and tooling. Inspired by the frugal science approach, we want to explore how to maximize the use of hardware that already exists, like used smartphones (<$50) with the advancement in the latest machine learning models, especially multimodal large language models. We'll be running a 3 month global virtual program for engineers and medical practitioners to explore collaborative projects for new tooling. This could include AI-enhanced diagnostic tools and telemedicine platforms for increased access to specialists. The program will include hackathon style sessions, personalized coaching, and direct mentorship with on the ground support.
What is the significance of this project?
The importance of this collaborative program is to combine different expertise including professional healthcare practitioners with machine learning developers. This is further enhanced with the OKB Foundation partnership with clinical partnerships on the ground to rapidly evaluate the viability of ideas. Ambitious goals include entirely new ways of increasing access to quality healthcare, like clinics on a phone or universal ai doctors. And more immediate goals, take what’s been proven possible in other areas, like how Foondamate has supported science and math training for students, for how upskilling could grow midwife infrastructure. Larger ecosystem collaborations for project incubation and testing require communities sharing expertise and adapting new tooling for scientific review.
What are the goals of the project?
The goal of this project includes 1) bringing together a cohort of 30-40 diverse professionals around the common goal of building new solutions while 2) building an open source hub of community resources documenting the process for future exploration. Success will be measured by a final feedback form from on the ground clinicians to evaluate the projects for viability, desirability, and feasibility. Secondary metrics of success will include the number of projects that extend beyond the program. We’ll explore bridging support with venture style accelerators, grants, and additional forms of funding. We plan to use this as a model for future programs in these r+d style sprints with tuition and donations offsetting the cost to run initial experiments.
Budget
This ensures the successful implementation and impact of the AI in Healthcare Global Studio. We need $2,000 to develop community learning modules, such as intro to running large multimodal models locally on devices. Based on past experience, we estimate 5 modules at $25/hour for 16 hours each. Clinical space rental for one week of fieldwork in Ghana requires $3,000, enabling hands-on experience for testing top tools. For a high-quality online experience, $1,200 is allocated for interactive learning and community software licenses like Butter, Slack, Loom, and cloud storage. Streaming equipment costs $800 to equip program directors with quality cameras, microphones, and internet connections. We estimate $2,200 for project materials, including used smartphones and consumables for testing. Case study video content, such as interviews with doctors and patients, will cost $1,500. The Experiment.com platform fee is included. Additional staffing needs will be offset by program tuition.
Endorsed by
Project Timeline
Our timeline includes application launch and vetting for cohort with community channel partners. We’re setting this program up like an accelerator where each session is designed around a new skill set and set of best practices for validating problem space while building different tools. There will be weekly office hours with mentors as well as visiting guest speakers.
Jul 01, 2024
Applications open
Jul 20, 2024
Community Info Session
Jul 29, 2024
Project Launched
Aug 21, 2024
Finalize Interviews and Acceptances
Sep 07, 2024
Community Program Kickoff
Meet the Team
Team Bio
The Ai in Healthcare Global Studio project came together as a partnership across individuals who have a strong desire to build better solutions in healthcare. Our team has 30+ combined years of experience across designing and running innovation programs, hospital administrative and operation experience, as well as supporting novel r+d initiatives on the ground in Ghana with the OKB Hope Foundation.
michael raspuzzi
Michael is co-founder and program director at Earthshot Studios, which specializes in cohort based professional programs in emerging tech and science to solve pressing problems.
With 10+ years of experience running accelerators and prototyping sessions across Harvard, Cornell, and TKS, he has worked with thousands of entrepreneurs tackling a wide range of challenges. Prior advised projects include digital biomarkers for ADHD using machine learning, mobile diagnostics for respiratory diseases, as well as global challenges with Kidogo, a Kenyan early childhood development non-profit, Pathcheck Foundation (contact tracing for COVID-19, and the United Nations for increasing equity in the digital economy.
In his free time, he’s helped grow the professional Hardware Meetup community to 30+ cities and 25,000 members with monthly demos and community events around the latest developments across industrial applications, robotics, biomedical devices, and more.
Osei Boateng
Osei Boateng is a passionate healthcare professional who devoted his life’s work to making sure quality healthcare is accessible to everyone irrespective of their socio-economic background. with more than five years of experience in hospital administration and operations, having worked at NewYork Presbyterian Hospital and Henry Ford Health System. In addition to his professional endeavors, Osei is the founder of the OKB Hope Foundation, a nonprofit organization that is deeply committed to bringing healthcare services to the remote and underserved communities in Ghana. Osei holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology and Society, with minors in business and gerontology, and a Master's in Healthcare Administration from Cornell University. He also holds a Master of Business Creation from Utah University.
Chris Oppong
A product of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) School of Medical Sciences and a Fellow of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Dr. Chris is the head of the Emergency Medicine Directorate at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) . He is a Part time Lecturer at the College of Health Science (KNUST), and Instructor at the Ghana National Ambulance Training School which trains Emergency medical technicians.
Dr. Chris serves as a faculty member of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons Emergency Medicine Department. The faculty trains Emergency medicine specialists under the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons.
He is married and has 2 sons. He enjoys watching football, documentaries and doing research.
Lab Notes
Nothing posted yet.
Project Backers
- 5Backers
- 22%Funded
- $2,655Total Donations
- $531.00Average Donation