Published By: BBC News, 1/16/2017

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Summary

The UK’s Medical Research Council is testing new AI software that will aid in predicting when a person with a heart disorder might die.  The technology uses MRI scans of different parts of the heart to tell whether the organ will fail.  As a result, it could find patients who need more extreme treatment, and possibly help save lives.

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level of Article: 10

Extended Discussion Questions

• Besides predicting when a heart might fail, can you think of other ways that predictive models based on medical tests could be used to help patients?
• This innovation is being developed in the UK. Do you think the benefits will be greatest in the most technologically developed countries, or could it benefit patients everywhere? Why or why not? Prompt: What kind of data does it need about a patient, and how do you get that data?
• If you wanted to develop a model like this, how would you decide which kinds of patients to collect data from? For example, should you target older people, since they are most likely to have heart problems?
• What are some potential drawbacks of relying on this AI technology?
  • For example, the software currently only makes correct predictions 80% of the time. How should doctors use the predictions, knowing that?

Relating This Story to the CSP Curriculum Framework

Global Impact Learning Objectives:

• LO 7.2.1 Explain how computing has impacted innovations in other fields.
• LO 7.3.1 Analyze the beneficial and harmful effects of computing.
• LO 7.4.1 Explain the connections between computing and real-world contexts, including economic, social, and cultural contexts.

Global Impact Essential Knowledge:

• EK 7.2.1A Machine learning and data mining have enabled innovation in medicine, business, and science.
• EK 7.4.1C The global distribution of computing resources raises issues of equity, access, and power.

Other CSP Big Ideas:

• Idea 3 Data and Information
• Idea 4 Algorithms

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