Medtronic Makes Bold Moves in AI with New Collaboration

Medtronic’s most recent path is taking it farther into the world of artificial intelligence. The medtech giant’s latest partnership has it working alongside Nvidia and Cosmo Pharmaceuticals to develop a series of AI-based tools to help treat patients.

The first product on the list is a colonoscopy tool that uses AI. The technology will integrate Nvidia’s healthcare and edge technologies with Medtronic’s GI Genius intelligent endoscopy model.

Developed and manufactured by Cosmo Pharmaceuticals, GI Genius was designed to host a suite of AI algorithms. Now, with the addition of Nvidia's Holoscan and IGX technologies, Cosmo is introducing an Innovation Center website, enabling third-party developers with a cloud-based platform to efficiently train and validate their own AI models with the intent to eventually distribute them through the GI Genius module. 

"The possibility for GI Genius to host multiple real-time AI applications is a game-changer for physicians performing gastrointestinal procedures," said Giovanni Di Napoli, president of the Gastrointestinal business at Medtronic. "With the launch of our AI Access™ platform, we are now able to support developers everywhere and accelerate the creation of real-time AI applications. This technology may allow us to offer clinicians expanded access to these tools, potentially improving patient outcomes. Our ongoing strategic partnership with Cosmo Pharmaceuticals and the integration of cutting-edge Nvidia AI technologies have made this platform a reality. We believe that the AI Access platform may be a critical tool for advancing medical AI innovation and improving patient care in the years to come." 

Medtronic won de Novo Clearance for the GI Genius Intelligent clearance in April of 2021.

“We are announcing Medtronic … and Nvidia are building their AI platform for software-defined medical devices,” Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said during the GTC 2023 keynote. “This partnership will create a common platform for Medtronic systems, ranging from surgical navigation to robotic-assisted surgery.

This isn’t Medtronic’s first rodeo when it comes down to partnering with an AI solutions company. In July of 2019, Medtronic announced a distribution agreement with Viz.ai.

The pact would increase the reach of Viz.ai’s artificial intelligence solution for stroke. The San Francisco, CA-based company’s solution identifies suspected large vessel occlusion (LVO) strokes and automatically notify specialists. It could lead patients to get treatment by technologies like Dublin-based Medtronic’s Solitaire revascularization device.