A team of clinicians and data analysts has won a global competition with a tool to predict orthopaedic conditions.
The AI in Orthopaedics hackathon spanned two weeks. It was hosted by the Royal College of Surgeons.
The competition challenged teams to apply technology to real-world clinical scenarios.
The winning team was led by Mr Rory Ormiston. He is a Portsmouth-based orthopaedic registrar and a PhD student at the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre.
Kehinde Makinde, Faizan Hemotra and Ananya Pandey from University Hospital Southampton were also part of the team. They are all data analysts in the Southampton Emerging Therapies and Technologies (SETT) Centre.
They were joined by Miss Lucy Bailey from Queen Alexandra Hospital and Mr Henry Goodier from Dorchester County Hospital. They are also orthopaedic registrars.
Real-world solution
Participants were tasked with developing innovative machine-learning solutions. These had to classify orthopaedic patients into two categories: normal presentation and abnormal presentation.
Teams also had to outline how their solutions could be deployed in real-world clinical settings.
The winning project focused on predicting conditions such as hernia and spondylolisthesis. It was praised for its practical focus and innovative application of AI.
“What set our solution apart was its custom-built, sleek, and intuitive front-end interface”, explained Rory.
“The design made a complex machine-learning model user-friendly and accessible, offering a practical tool ready for clinic use. This could significantly improve patient care.”
Rory is part of the NIHR Southampton BRC’s Perioperative and Critical Care and Data, Health and Society themes.
Beating international competition
20 teams from around the world competed in the hackathon. There were entries from countries including Egypt and India.
The Southampton team was selected as one of two finalists, which gave them the opportunity to present their work at the AI in Orthopaedics conference.
Reflecting on their success, the SETT team said: “What made the moment even more exciting was the buzz around the clinic-ready implementation.
“We didn’t just show what was possible; we demonstrated how it could be seamlessly integrated into real-world patient care.
“Presenting our work in the historic setting of the Royal College of Surgeons was surreal. Winning felt incredible, but the real highlight was seeing the excitement about what we’d created. It feels like we’re onto something that could truly make a difference.”
The data analysts are part of the SETT Centre’s Data and AI stream. They use clinical data to maximise research opportunities and develop cutting-edge tools.
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