Two billion people worldwide suffer from dermatologic issues, but there’s a global shortage of specialists.

At the Google I/O 2021 keynote on May 18, Google Health announced new tools that will help users identify different skin-related issues through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and a smartphone’s camera. The technology will identify dermatological problems related to skin, hair, and nails, as well as screen for Tuberculosis. (Gadgets 360)

Google AI’s skin tool: How it works

Google’s AI tool for skin works on the web with photographs taken from three different angles of the skin issue using the smartphone camera. After answering some questions regarding symptoms, the duration of the problem and skin type, the skin tool will be able to generate the possible causes.

According to Google, it “fine-tuned [its] model with de-identified data encompassing around 65,000 images and case data of diagnosed skin conditions, millions of curated skin concern images and thousands of examples of healthy skin — all across different demographics.”

“The Google AI tool will narrow down the conditions to the best matches with its data base. The user then needs to investigate these further.

Therefore, the tool is providing enough data that can be further reviewed by a skin specialist.

The tool will be launched later this year, though it has already been cleared as a Class I medical device in the EU. However, the FDA is yet to evaluate it.

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