International students in Windsor are creating an app using AI to detect skin cancer

International students at the University of Windsor (UWindsor) are working on an app that could revolutionizeskin cancer detection.

App users can upload images of areas ontheir skin they are worried aboutand AI technology can identify whether the problem area is melanoma.

Ifran Andleebcame from India and has been in Canada for eight months as a master's student in electrical and computer engineering.

"We are done with the theoretical researching part [and we] are trying to deploy our model in a web app so that everyone in the country can use the app it will be on your fingertips,"Andleebexplained to CBC News."Even though this research wasmedically based, we did not have any medical background, so we had to go through some resources so that we totally understand."

These international students are working on an app for skin cancer diagnosis

2 months ago

Duration 2:14

Three international graduate students at the University of Windsor are working on an app intended to provide a accessible and efficient method of diagnosing skin cancer. Ifran Andleeb, Vaibhav Patel and Almiqdad Elzein spoke with Windsor Morning's Amy Dodge.

Almiqdad Elzein, who is from Sudan, is also a master's student in electrical and computer engineering. He has been working in AI for four yearsand explainedhowthe app's efficiency in identifying skin cancer will setit apart from more conventional and slower methods.

"Right now, mostskin cancer detection is done throughbiopsies,"Elzeinsaid. "There areworksin the artificial intelligence communitythat are currently attempting to apply machine learning and artificial intelligenceto skin cancer detection, but it has not yet gone mainstream you would not find this inregular hospitals.It's work in progress."

Doing it on ana periodic basisallows for an earlier detectionif such condition exists- Almiqdad Elzein

But how does AI work in the context of a medical app?

"[If] we imagine that weanalyzedpictures of different skin conditionsandwe teach a model, through millions or hundreds of thousands of samples, how to differentiate between skin cancer, melanoma, and specific versus other more benign skin conditions," Elzeinsaid.

"Firstly, the, detection is done in noninvasive way, in contrast tobiopsies, which isquiteinvasive. Secondly, it, does not require a lot ofadvanced medical technology, which may not be available in allareas. Thirdly, it is a way to mainstreamdetection," he said.

"Doing it on ana periodic basisallows for an earlier detectionif such condition exists."

A fellow master's student from India,Vaibhav Patel, saidthis technology willbecome more vital as temperatures continue to rise.

"That's what we learned about while researchingthis particular topic," Patel said. "It's going to be more and more dangerous going forward,somaking itaccessible for everyone, and enabling everyone to have routine checks themselvescan really reduce the mortality rate."

Being from another place

While international students do experience hardships thatcan come from moving from their country of origin, they can flourish at institutions such as UWindsor.

Andleebremarked that apart from the hard work she's been putting into research, it can be challenging being an international student.

"You also have your own research going on,because this researchis an outcome of a course," she said."And being an international student, you have a lot going at home."

Despite being far from Sudan,Elzeinsaid the opportunities in Windsor allow for him to pursue his passions.

"Certainly, the research facilitiesin Canada are more advanced, which allows for thefast tracking of the research, in addition to the expertise that exists at the university."