Google's Africa blog introduces the Pretoria team behind Nexus AI, co-founded by Dr Gerhard Ferreira, a medical doctor, and Andries Vorster, a clinical engineer, to tackle diagnostic delays in lung disease screening in resource-limited settings. Google licensed its chest X-ray AI model to Nexus Intelligence, allowing the team to build a clinical-grade tool without starting from scratch.
What the article covers
- → Two models on every image. One determines whether the lungs appear normal and highlights any abnormality. A second, purpose-built model screens for findings suggestive of tuberculosis.
- → Results in about 45 seconds. Heat maps and contour lines draw attention to potential findings, while the clinical judgement stays with the healthcare provider.
- → Certified and independently validated. Nexus AI is CE certified as a Class IIb medical device and was independently validated in The Lancet Digital Health as a top-performing screening tool.
- → Deployed where it is needed. Six nations and 40 locations, including the national TB programme in Côte d'Ivoire, mobile screening in South Africa's Northern Cape, and work in Sierra Leone and Cameroon.
Why it matters
This was the first time Google told the Nexus story in its own words. Three months later, James Manyika presented Nexus Intelligence from the keynote stage at Google Cloud Summit Johannesburg, and in September Google named Nexus Intelligence again in his blog on building AI to accelerate science and improve lives.
Read: Named by Google, in a blog by James Manyika →
About Nexus AI CXR
Nexus AI CXR is a CE MDR Class IIb certified medical AI software for chest X-ray triage, developed in collaboration with Google and independently evaluated by the Stop TB Partnership in The Lancet Digital Health. It is Global Fund quality-approved and available through PFSCM / Wambo. It supports, and does not replace, clinical interpretation and diagnosis.
This page summarises third-party coverage. Figures and statements attributed to Google Africa Blog are as reported in the original article. Read the full piece for its complete context.
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