Doctors, apps and artificial intelligence - The future of medicine | DW Documentary

Summary

The script explores how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing healthcare, offering hope to patients with extreme conditions. It features Anne Nitzer, suffering from locked-in syndrome, and Guido Schulze, paralyzed on one side, who are both benefiting from AI-assisted communication and rehabilitation technologies. The script also highlights AI's role in precise organ transplant calculations and improving diagnostic procedures. Despite concerns about AI and data privacy, the potential for reducing human suffering and enhancing medical efficiency is evident, showcasing a future where AI and human intelligence work in tandem to improve health outcomes.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Artificial intelligence (AI) is being explored as a means to assist in extreme medical cases where traditional methods have been exhausted.
• 👩‍⚕️ The medical field is increasingly using computer technology to aid doctors, with the goal of empowering them rather than replacing them.
• 🤖 AI is viewed as a valuable tool that can potentially advance medicine into new dimensions, despite some fears and skepticism.
• 🏠 Cornelia Nitzer's family life was drastically changed when her daughter, Anne, suffered from a stroke resulting in locked-in syndrome.
• 🔬 Researchers at Berlin’s Charité hospital are developing AI technology to help patients like Anne Nitzer regain the ability to communicate.
• 🧑‍💻 Neurotechnology specialist Professor Surjo Soekadar aims to improve the quality of life for patients through brain-computer communication.
• 🦾 Guido Schulze, paralyzed on his left side, is testing a hand exoskeleton controlled by his thoughts, demonstrating the potential of AI in rehabilitation.
• 👨‍⚕️ AI is also being used in diagnostics, such as in the case of Oskar Zlamala, helping to assess the progression of age-related macular degeneration.
• 👀 AI can provide precise measurements and analysis, which is critical in procedures like liver transplants, as demonstrated at Essen University Hospital.
• 🔑 The key to AI's success is the quality of the data it is trained on and the programmers who develop its algorithms.
• 🌐 While there are concerns about data privacy with AI, research data is anonymized to protect patient confidentiality.

Q & A

How does artificial intelligence (AI) offer hope in the medical field when traditional methods have been exhausted?

AI provides valuable tools that can assist in extreme medical cases, offering new dimensions in treatment and care, especially when human expertise is limited.

What is the purpose of integrating AI with specialist doctors according to the script?

The purpose is not to replace specialist doctors but to empower them with better equipment, enabling them to become better ophthalmologists who can treat patients more effectively.

What is locked-in syndrome and how has it affected Anne Nitzer's life?

Locked-in syndrome is a medical condition where a patient is almost completely paralyzed but remains conscious and can hear everything. Anne Nitzer, after suffering from this condition, is unable to move or communicate, requiring round-the-clock care.

How does the family of Anne Nitzer cope with her condition and its impact on their lives?

Anne's family, particularly her mother Cornelia Nitzer, helps with household chores and the children to provide some normality. They visit Anne in the care home once or twice a week and are trying to establish a communication code with her.

What is the role of Professor Surjo Soekadar in the context of Anne Nitzer's condition?

Professor Surjo Soekadar is a neurotechnology specialist researching solutions to help patients like Anne Nitzer communicate again using AI and brain-computer communication.

How does the hand exoskeleton work for patients like Guido Schulze who is paralyzed on one side?

The hand exoskeleton is a wearable technology controlled by the patient's thoughts. It uses a cap that reads electrical brain signals, allowing the computer to recognize the patient's intention to move their hand and act accordingly.

What is the significance of the AI program developed by Professor Schmidt-Erfurth for patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD)?

The AI program can analyze imaging data to determine the exact amount of fluid pooling under the retina, which helps tailor treatment for AMD patients like Oskar Zlamala, potentially improving their vision outcomes.

How does AI assist in organ transplant procedures, as demonstrated at Essen University Hospital?

AI helps in scrutinizing CT scan images more closely to determine the exact location and size of the liver tissue, ensuring precise organ measurement which is critical for the success of the transplant.

What are the potential benefits of using AI in medical diagnostics and treatment?

AI can make diagnostic procedures more efficient, reduce medical costs, and most importantly, decrease human suffering by providing faster and more precise analysis of medical data.

How does the new communication system being developed for Anne Nitzer work, and what is its significance?

The new system uses AI to learn and recognize eye movements as commands, such as turning a light on or off. This offers a glimmer of hope for patients with locked-in syndrome to regain some form of communication.

What is the role of quantum sensors in improving communication for patients like Anne Nitzer?

Quantum sensors can measure the magnetic fields above the skull very precisely, potentially allowing patients to communicate without the need for tiring eye movements, thus improving their quality of life.

What is the overarching message of the script regarding the integration of AI in healthcare?

The script suggests that while AI in healthcare should be approached with caution, it should not be feared if it can help reduce human suffering and improve health care by enhancing diagnostics and reducing costs.

Outlines

00:00

🤖 AI's Potential in Medical Care

The script discusses the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, particularly when conventional medical solutions are exhausted. It emphasizes the potential of AI as a tool to empower specialists, such as ophthalmologists, and to explore new dimensions in medicine. The narrative introduces Cornelia Nitzer's family, who are dealing with her daughter Anne's locked-in syndrome, a condition that has left her unable to move or communicate. The family is hopeful about AI's capacity to improve medical care and possibly restore communication for patients like Anne.

05:03

🧠 Neurotechnology and AI in Restoring Communication

This paragraph delves into the research conducted by Professor Surjo Soekadar at Berlin’s Charité hospital. The focus is on using neurotechnology and AI to help patients, like Anne Nitzer, who suffer from communication障碍 due to medical conditions, regain the ability to communicate. The technology works by interpreting brain signals to control a computer, with the ultimate goal of improving patients' quality of life. The story also features Guido Schulze, who, after being paralyzed due to a brain tumor, is testing a hand exoskeleton controlled by his thoughts, showcasing the potential of brain-computer communication.

10:08

👨‍⚕️ AI in Treating Age-related Macular Degeneration

The script introduces Oskar Zlamala, a retiree suffering from age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition that can cause severe vision loss. It describes the current treatment methods, which include regular eye injections that are both unpleasant and not always effective. The narrative then shifts to the use of AI in improving treatment precision and patient outcomes. Professor Schmidt-Erfurth has developed a program that analyzes eye scans to determine the exact amount of fluid under the retina, allowing for more tailored and effective treatment plans.

15:12

👁 AI in Enhancing Eye Examinations and Communication Systems

This paragraph highlights the advantages of AI in medical diagnostics, particularly in eye exams that are quick, non-invasive, and reasonably priced. It discusses the potential of AI to streamline medical costs and reduce human suffering. The focus then shifts to Anne Nitzer's story, who, due to locked-in syndrome, is unable to communicate. Professor Soekadar's team is developing a new communication system based on eye movements, which, despite the challenges of Anne's fluctuating condition, offers hope for restoring communication.

20:14

🔬 AI in Organ Transplantation and Data Privacy

The script discusses the application of AI in organ transplant procedures at Essen University Hospital, focusing on the precise calculation of liver tissue during a transplant. It details how AI can scrutinize CT scans more closely than humans, ensuring the accuracy of organ size measurements, which is critical for the success of the transplant. The story also touches on the data privacy concerns associated with AI, explaining that research data is anonymized to protect patient confidentiality.

25:16

🛠️ The Development of Advanced AI Sensors and Their Impact

The final paragraph discusses the slow progress of AI in healthcare and the introduction of quantum sensors, which can measure the magnetic fields above the skull with high precision. These sensors could potentially reduce the exhaustion associated with current communication methods for patients like Anne Nitzer. The script also covers the ongoing development of AI learning processes by IT specialists, who are analyzing large quantities of data to improve AI's ability to distinguish between brain signals. The goal is to seamlessly integrate human and technological capabilities to improve the lives of those with restricted movement.

Keywords

💡Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions. In the context of the video, AI is portrayed as a valuable tool in the medical field, particularly for extreme cases where traditional medicine has limited options. For example, AI is being used to develop communication systems for patients with locked-in syndrome and to improve the precision of organ transplant procedures.

💡Locked-in Syndrome

Locked-in syndrome is a medical condition in which a person is almost completely paralyzed, unable to move any muscles except for their eyes, yet remains conscious. The video highlights the story of Anne Nitzer, who suffers from this condition after a stroke. The term is central to the narrative as it exemplifies the extreme cases where AI is being explored to restore communication and improve quality of life.

💡Neurotechnology

Neurotechnology is the intersection of neuroscience and technology, focusing on devices and systems that interact with the nervous system. In the video, neurotechnology is used to develop interfaces that allow patients, like those with locked-in syndrome, to communicate using brain-computer communication. The concept is integral to the theme of leveraging technology to overcome severe medical challenges.

💡Stroke

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted or reduced, leading to brain tissue damage. In the script, Anne Nitzer's story is triggered by a stroke, which resulted in her locked-in syndrome. The term is crucial as it sets the stage for the introduction of AI and neurotechnology as potential aids in her rehabilitation.

💡Eye Movements

Eye movements refer to the physical act of moving one's eyes to look at different points in the visual field. The video discusses the development of a system that enables communication through eye movements, specifically for patients like Anne Nitzer. This concept is central to the AI-assisted communication system being tested, where eye movements are used to issue commands, such as turning a light on or off.

💡Organ Transplant

An organ transplant is a surgical procedure where an organ is removed from one person (the donor) and placed into another person (the recipient) whose own organ has failed. The video mentions the use of AI in the transplant center at Essen University Hospital to calculate the size of the liver for a transplant with precision, highlighting the role of AI in enhancing the accuracy and success rate of such critical medical procedures.

💡Hand Exoskeleton

A hand exoskeleton is a wearable device that can be controlled by a person's thoughts to assist or enhance hand movements. In the video, Guido Schulze uses a hand exoskeleton to potentially improve the function of his paralyzed hand. This technology exemplifies the application of AI and neurotechnology in restoring motor functions post-injury or illness.

💡Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

Age-related macular degeneration is a medical condition that affects a person's vision, leading to a deterioration in the ability to see fine details. The video features Oskar Zlamala, who suffers from AMD. The script discusses how AI is used to analyze the extent of fluid under the retina, which is crucial for personalized treatment and managing the progression of the disease.

💡AI-Assisted Diagnostics

AI-assisted diagnostics involve the use of artificial intelligence to analyze medical images or data to aid in the diagnosis of diseases. The video describes how AI is used to scrutinize images from a CT scan to determine liver tissue accurately, which is vital for the success of a transplant. This highlights AI's role in improving the precision and efficiency of medical diagnostics.

💡Data Privacy

Data privacy refers to the protection of personal information from unauthorized access or disclosure. The video touches on concerns about data privacy in relation to AI and medical data storage. It emphasizes that research data is anonymized to protect privacy while allowing medical advancements to be made through AI.

💡Quantum Sensors

Quantum sensors are highly sensitive devices capable of measuring extremely small changes, such as magnetic fields. In the video, quantum sensors are mentioned as a potential advancement that could allow patients like Anne Nitzer to communicate without the need for eye movements, by precisely measuring brain signals. This represents the ongoing innovation in sensor technology to facilitate better interaction between humans and AI.

Highlights

Artificial intelligence is being explored to assist in extreme medical cases where traditional methods have been exhausted.

AI is increasingly seen as a valuable tool in medicine, aiming to empower specialists rather than replace them.

Locked-in syndrome is a condition that leaves patients unable to move or communicate, highlighting the need for innovative communication methods.

Professor Surjo Soekadar is researching how AI can help patients like Anne Nitzer, who suffers from locked-in syndrome, to communicate again through brain-computer interaction.

Neuroprosthetics, such as hand exoskeletons controlled by thoughts, are being developed to help paralyzed patients regain function.

AI algorithms are trained to understand and respond to brain signals, offering new hope for patients with movement disabilities.

The development of AI in medicine is accompanied by public debate and concerns about privacy and the nature of artificial intelligence.

Researchers emphasize that AI in medicine is designed to assist and not to possess human-like intelligence.

AI has the potential to improve diagnostic procedures, reduce medical costs, and decrease human suffering.

In the case of organ transplants, AI is used to calculate liver size with high precision, ensuring the success of the transplant.

AI's ability to analyze medical images and data allows for more accurate and less invasive diagnostic methods.

Quantum sensors are being tested to measure brain signals more precisely, potentially reducing the need for tiring eye movements in communication systems.

The development of AI in healthcare is a collaborative effort between human intelligence and machine precision.

For patients with restricted movement, advancements in AI could mean significant improvements in their quality of life and independence.

The potential of AI in medicine is vast, but it requires careful consideration of ethical implications and data privacy.

The journey towards integrating AI in healthcare is ongoing, with continuous learning and adaptation to improve patient outcomes.

AI's role in medicine should be viewed with a balanced perspective, recognizing its benefits while addressing concerns.

Transcripts

When current medical science has run out of options

— and doctors don’t know where to turn —

artificial intelligence might be able to help.

Particularly when it comes to extreme cases.

It gives me hope.

Medics are getting more and more assistance

from computer technology these days.

We’re not talking about any kind of super powers, but valuable tools.

We don’t want to get rid of specialist eye doctors, we want to empower them.

We want to give them better equipment and make them better ophthalmologists

— who can treat patients more effectively.

They see artificial intelligence as a big opportunity

— one that can take medicine into completely new dimensions.

But some fear AI.

I can completely understand that AI applications can make people wary.

So what does artificial intelligence mean for medicine?

How can it help to improve people’s lives?

Cornelia Nitzer hasn’t been living in this small apartment

in northern Berlin for long.

The 63-year-old had never imagined that she would move home again

— until fate turned her family’s life upside down.

Her daughter Anne Nitzer suffered a stroke

shortly after the birth of her second child.

Since then, she has been unable to move or communicate.

The name of her condition is locked-in syndrome — it has changed everything.

Here you can see how pretty my daughter is.

She was pregnant there, you can tell.

Her daughter needs round-the-clock care.

Her son-in-law and grandchildren are on their own.

Cornelia Nitzer is trying to do what she can to support the young family.

It has been two years now since that fateful day:

She suffered brain hemorrhaging and a stroke.

Someone from the neighbourhood said that they must have spent

about half an hour resuscitating her in the ambulance.

Cornelia Nitzer is only left with memories.

Her daughter, a psychology graduate, was a happy, fun-loving person.

Now, her family can only guess what she is feeling.

She can’t talk.

If she moves like this, you can tell something isn’t right,

but you are helpless. You can’t do anything really.

Several times a week, Cornelia Nitzer helps her son-in-law

with the household and with the children, so they at least get a bit of normality.

The children are suffering because they are without a mother.

The girl is growing up without a mum.

The couple had just built their own home, when Anne had a stroke.

Her husband Nikolay Nikiforov was suddenly left

to deal with everything on his own.

Kolya? Everything’s open. Aha. Hi, there. I’m here now.

The 37-year-old IT specialist often works from home.

After his wife’s stroke, he tried to care for her at home.

But it was too much for him and the children.

Nowadays, Anne Nitzer lives in a care home.

Her condition — and then the separation from her —

has placed a great strain on them.

The first year was very difficult.

In the meantime, we have come to terms with it to some extent.

We have got a routine set now — we visit her once or twice a week together.

But in the care home, too,

communication remains the biggest problem.

I visited Anne on Wednesday.

She was quiet at first, but then she started crying.

I think she still has bursts of pain.

Her family and nursing care personnel can often only guess

how Anne Nitzer is feeling.

Recognizing the needs of locked-in syndrome sufferers

and looking after them 24/7 is a strenuous business.

I have tried to work out a code with her

— that a slow blink stands for yes and two blinks for no.

But you can’t call that proper communication.

My biggest wish would be that this were somehow possible again.

The family’s hopes are resting on research

being carried out at Berlin’s Charité hospital.

Nikolay Nikiforov contacted scientists there a few weeks ago:

I came across a video by the professor. I think it was a Ted-X talk

where he showed what progress was being made

in the treatment of stroke patients.

My biggest goal would be reestablishing some form of communication.

Making this dream come true

- is what Professor Surjo Soekadar hopes to achieve with his research.

The neurotechnology specialist is working on solutions

that could help patients like Anne Nitzer to communicate again

— using artificial intelligence

and the communication between brain and computer.

To put it simply, the human thinks and the computer acts.

It’s my goal to improve conditions so as many people as possible

can benefit from this technology and see their quality of life improve.

And I won’t let the setbacks slow me down.

Neurotechnology — which connects our nervous system with computers —

aims to help people like Anne Nitzer have a new life.

At Berlin’s Charité hospital, there have already been successful tests

with patients who are partly paralyzed.

Guido Schulze used to work as a painter.

Two years ago, he was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

During an operation, a blood vessel burst in his brain.

Since then, he has been paralysed on his left side.

I can’t actively open or close my hand. I also can’t even do it in my thoughts.

When we are healthy, we don’t give it a second thought. We just make a movement.

And now I really have to try to do something and it’s not easy.

Today, Guido Schulze, is testing whether he might be able

to use his hand better by using a so-called hand exoskeleton.

The wearable technology is controlled by his thoughts.

We are doing this so we can reorganize the brain.

And this reorganization should have a favorable effect on restoring function.

Reorganize - It sounds as if everything here is jumbled up

and will have to be sorted again.

The idea is that uninjured parts of the brain

will take over the functions of the affected areas.

Together with the exoskeleton,

Guido is given a cap that can read his electrical brain signals.

When the patient thinks about moving his hand,

the computer recognizes that impulse and saves it

— comparing it with the signals that his brain emits

when he’s not actively thinking.

The computer is only able to learn because of the information

that was taught to it by its human programmers.

They have fed it with algorithms

— and commands that help it increasingly better understand

when Guido Schulze wants to move his hand.

Like right now. The programme understands what to do.

The bottle is now firmly in my hand.

As a healthy person you can’t imagine it. It’s crazy:

You want to close your hand and it just happens. A bit spooky.

Like something from science fiction.

The prototype is still being tested. Machines that can read your thoughts.

That sounds frightening and is the source of much public debate.

Many people are critical of artificial intelligence.

In my opinion, this form of intelligence

cannot be compared with human intelligence.

We’re talking about computers that have been programmed to follow certain rules.

If we raise awareness about how these systems actually function,

it will become clear to everyone that they are not intelligent at all.

They don’t possess intelligence in the way we humans do.

Professor Soekadar would like his research to help people

in extremely difficult situations

— such as Anne Nitzer, trapped in her own body,

or Guido Schulze, who is paralysed on one side.

The exoskeleton has stimulated my hand.

That gives me hope — that it might improve.

I can imagine that if you train it over a longer period of time

that it will return to life... That’s what we hope for, right?

That it will get back to normal.

Here on the outskirts of the Austrian capital

is where Oskar Zlamala lives with his wife Heidemarie.

The retiree suffers from age-related macular degeneration, or AMD.

It can lead to a severe loss of vision.

Fluid is collecting in his eyes and is slowly destroying his eyesight.

The worst-case scenario doesn’t bear thinking about.

It would mean that I would have to fundamentally change my life.

Oskar Zlamala has worn glasses since he was a child

— but one day all of a sudden his vision started to deteriorate.

Three years ago, I really started to notice that my eyesight was failing.

He did an Amsler Grid test.

This test involves taking a piece paper with a grid.

And covering one eye at a time.

You look at it and see whether all the lines are running parallel

or whether they look wavy.

If they are wavy, it’s a clear sign that something is wrong.

The problem is that if it isn’t treated quickly

it can lead to a loss of vision — and that is awful.

What's awful about the disease is that many patients

suffer an extreme loss of vision — even if they do get treatment.

Oskar Zlamala hopes to avoid that

by going through regular check-ups at Vienna General Hospital.

AMD patients like Oskar Zlamala regularly get a drug

injected directly into their eyes.

But it’s unpleasant — and doesn’t work well for everyone.

That looks good. How many injections has the patient already had?

He’s already had twelve.

Using magnification,

the doctor can get only a rough idea of any changes to the retina.

But it’s hard to tell how far the disease has progressed

- from these white areas. Which makes treatment difficult.

And it’s hard to know what dosage would be required.

We want to carry out as many of these injections as necessary,

but as few as possible.

Each injection into the eye hurts and carries the risk of infection.

The medication is also expensive.

It contains small, specially produced quantities of antibodies.

And patients get these injections for the rest of their life.

It’s important that we do that as economically as possible.

It often costs 1,000 euros per injection.

That’s why the doctors in Vienna want to take a closer look

at Oskar Zlamala’s eyes.

An imaging procedure is used to give a cross-section view

of the eye and retina.

It lets the doctors better assess the extent of the disease.

The retina is raised there. The retina is very sensitive.

It consists purely of nerve cells, which should not be interfered with.

In this case, fluid is gathering under the retina, which is lifting it up.

But the procedure doesn’t reveal exactly

how much fluid has gathered there.

So Professor Schmidt-Erfurth decided to design a programme

that can do just that.

It was fed with the data of many other patients with the same condition

and it can tell exactly how much fluid pools under the retina — in blue here.

The programme allows Oskar Zlamala’s treatment to be tailored.

Knowing how this treatment works

has given me a whole different perspective on things.

Personally, I feel much more reassured.

Please take a seat.

Today, we have measured 45 nanolitres.

That’s roughly what it was last time, so we won’t have to treat you today.

Thanks for the information.

It’s good to know these possibilities are now available.

It’s a big vision for the future.

This eye exam only takes fractions of a second,

it’s not invasive, is reasonably priced and can be performed anywhere

and assessed with the help of artificial intelligence

and it can replace many other invasive procedures.

AI can potentially make diagnostic detective work easier,

keep medical costs down and — most importantly —reduce human suffering.

In Berlin, Anne Nitzer has come to spend two hours at home with her family.

Professor Soekadar’s team has come to try out

a new communication system with them.

Since her stroke, Anne Nitzer has been suffering from locked-in syndrome:

She can’t move her body.

But she is fully conscious and can hear everything — yet she cannot communicate.

The doctor wants to change that with the help of AI.

What we would like to achieve is to create an interface

which is based on bodily signals that are very easy to control.

The aim is that Anne Nitzer will be able to learn

how to communicate using eye movements.

But the young woman’s condition is different day to day.

Sometimes, she is just not up to it.

Anne, are you in pain again?

I don’t know whether to touch her or not.

Well, she is crying. Maybe she’s in pain — but we don’t really know.

It quickly becomes apparent that Anne Nitzer

won’t manage to take part in the test today.

But the family, too, needs to learn the system,

so that they will be able to work with Anne independently.

It’s the first step on a long journey.

What we are seeing now is the simplest form of test

with which we can try to restore communication in locked-in syndrome

— with blinking or eye movements.

The principle is that the computer learns certain eye movements

and carries out commands associated with them.

For example, turning a light on or off.

Look! It turns off — and then on.

But it’s not as simple as it looks:

To work it, you have to be able to move your eyes

both vertically and horizontally.

Anne Nitzer can only do that now and again — and it takes a lot of effort.

But the system nevertheless offers the first glimmer of hope to the family.

I think that we’ll manage it. We’ll continue practicing with it.

But also we have to take into account

that Anne’s condition also varies widely

— it depends on how much concentration she can muster.

Today, her concentration is at its limit.

The two-hour visit is over before Anne Nitzer can try out the system herself.

It’s time for Anne to go back now.

In the next few weeks and months, Professor Soekadar‘s team

will keep on trying. It’s a drawn-out process,

but everyone is hoping that Anne Nitzer and her family

will learn to communicate with one another again.

In Essen University Hospital, in western Germany,

Lilly Lohmann has come for an important check-up. Four weeks ago,

her son Thomas donated half his liver to his mum, saving her life.

I was asked and, of course, I said yes.

Because your parents also give you a lot.

Part of being a parent is also about sacrifice.

I was asked and I thought: Yes, just do it.

Of course, along the way, you start having doubts.

You ask: Am I doing the right thing? What am I doing to my son?

Something could go wrong...

At Essen University Hospital more than a hundred organ transplants

are carried out each year.

As a so-called smart hospital, it also works with artificial intelligence.

In the transplant center, computer science experts and doctors

— like Professor Arzu Oezcelik and Dr. Felix Nensa - work together

Calculating the size of the liver correctly

is vital for a transplant’s success.

A CT scan creates a multi-layered image of the organ.

The doctor then marks the liver tissue — it’s not a very exact procedure.

Artificial intelligence can scrutinize each image more closely.

The AI basically ensures that a human doesn’t have to draw anything by hand.

It can determine the difference between liver tissue

and other tissue on every single layer.

This was how the AI calculated the exact location

of Thomas Lohmann‘s liver. His mother was given exactly half.

A mistake in the calculation could have been fatal.

Knowing these measurements is critical. We can’t open her up — and say,

oh, it’s too small and sew her up again. That really shouldn’t happen.

That’s why it’s extremely important for us to ensure

that the calculation is exactly right. Vitally important.

That’s why Dr. Nensa made one manual drawing based on his observation

and then one with the help of artificial intelligence.

And you did the same for my son, too?

Exactly. If we humans wanted to be as precise as the AI,

we’d probably need to invest not just half an hour,

but an hour-and-a-half or so.

Luckily, with AI you can do it in seconds.

An examination that’s considerably faster and more precise.

It offers a better chance that the valuable organ will not be rejected.

The liver works really, really well

— and the doctor operating on me told me to take good care of it.

Mother and son can look ahead again with optimism.

They are not concerned about having their data

stored centrally in the hospital.

I’m happy for them to have the data.

If something happened, they’d be able to act immediately.

Yet critics often cite data privacy issues as one of the reasons

for skepticism about artificial intelligence.

But research data is always anonymized.

Oliver Ester is in charge of tracking the AI’s development.

In this case, the programme is learning how to potentially distinguish

between healthy and sick liver cells.

It’s possible to observe the development process

and see what progress is being made during training.

You have to imagine it is like an ongoing programme.

You have to be able to see how good it is at every stage of the training.

And yet artificial intelligence is only as good as the data it is supplied with

and the people programming it.

It is called artificial intelligence.

But it is completely artificial and there is nothing intelligent about it.

Being able to react intelligently — to a new challenge —

that’s something that we humans can do — and AI can’t.

Humans are intelligent, machines are precise and quick.

Modern medicine is making the most of these combined strengths.

Professor Soekedar’s team at Berlin’s Charité hospital

has been visiting Anne Nitzer for months now

— to develop a new form of communication for her.

With some success: She is starting to express herself with eye movements.

First, you see her blinking normally

and then she makes a definite eye movement to switch on the light.

Their first success.

A tiny one — but one that is encouraging for all concerned.

I would say she has made progress.

But progress is slow — and while some expectations are fulfilled,

others aren’t. These learning processes need time.

To make progress easier, more efficient and less exhausting,

the researchers are now trying out a new type of sensor.

These so-called quantum sensors measure the magnetic fields

above the skull very precisely.

They would mean that patients like Anne Nitzer would no longer

need to make tiring eye movements — to be able to communicate.

A system like this would enable Ms Nitzer to clearly communicate

what might be causing her discomfort

— and on the other hand, to organize her personal care.

For example, to communicate whether she wants to sit up, or lie on her side.

At present, the system can only be used in a laboratory setting.

Here in Berlin, the IT specialists are also developing

the AI’s learning process at the same time.

In real time, the programmes are combing through the huge quantities

of data produced during the measurements.

They are looking for patterns.

That’s how they learn to distinguish between a person’s brain signals.

That ability is the key to artificial intelligence.

Ultimately, it’s always about the interaction

between humans and technology. And improving this interaction,

so you no longer notice where one starts and the other stops.

It’s about combining these powers,

so that people with restricted movement can move again

— putting this at their disposal so that they can manage everyday life

like everyone else.

For Anne Nitzer and her family, Professor Soekadar‘s research

could mean an enormous step forward, making their lives a bit easier

and introducing a bit of normality.

I see it as the only chance to help us — to help my wife.

We hope that science makes swift progress

— so a lot of people can be helped. My daughter’s not the only one affected.

There are, no doubt, quite a few people like her.

It’s not just a few isolated individuals.

Artificial intelligence can help to improve health care

by improving diagnostic procedures and cutting costs.

But blind enthusiasm is just as misplaced as blind distrust.

If it can help us to reduce suffering, we shouldn’t be afraid of using AI.