Techie, PhD student from Khammam aces AI game in US, blends technology with healthcare

Rahul Trivedi, pursuing a doctoral degree in Systems Engineering at Colorado State University, USA, developed an AI algorithm that detects wear and tear in bone with 94 per cent accuracy

Khammam: Even as India is gearing up to lead the AI revolution, a young scholar from Telangana is already making significant strides in the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and medicine.

Meet Venkata Sai Rahul Trivedi Kothapalli, a 33-year-old PhD student and IT professional from Khammam who developed an AI algorithm that detects wear and tear in bone with 94 per cent accuracy. It facilitates early diagnosis and optimises the timing of orthopaedic surgeries transforming patient care.

Rahul is pursuing a doctoral degree in Systems Engineering at Colorado State University, USA while serving as a Lead Senior Systems Architect at Verizon. Earlier, he worked at Moffitt Cancer Center, where he leveraged AI to advance healthcare solutions integrating technology and medicine benefiting cancer research and healthcare innovation.

Venkata Sai obtained a B Tech degree from JNTU Hyderabad in 2012 followed by a Master’s in 2015 from the University of Central Missouri. He served as an Assistant Professor at SBIT, Khammam before moving to the US to deepen his expertise in AI-driven medical solutions. Recognising the need for advanced diagnostic tools in orthopaedics, he developed an AI model trained on extensive X-ray datasets to detect bone degeneration with remarkable precision. His patented methodology for knee deformation detection employs Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), Transfer Learning and an enhanced VGG16 model.

Speaking to Telangana Today, Rahul informed that his method achieved a superior accuracy of 94.5 per cent surpassing CNN’s 91.2 per cent and Transfer Learning’s 92 per cent. This breakthrough holds the potential for improved surgical outcomes and reduced recovery times in knee replacements. Rahul said he also patented an AI-based wearable smart health monitoring device (Design No. 6409910, UK) that tracks exercise patterns and provides early health warnings, supporting preventive healthcare rather than curative measures.

Being an advocate of collaboration between healthcare professionals and technologists he worked closely with oncologists and radiologists to develop AI models for cancer diagnosis and treatment at Moffitt Cancer Center. He continues the same spirit in his orthopaedic research ensuring seamless AI integration in clinical settings.

Born to Srinivas Kothapalli and Rukmini Buddavarapu, Rahul’s journey from Khammam to the global stage is an inspiring testament to perseverance and ambition. His success showcases how individuals from modest backgrounds could make significant scientific contributions. Rahul said the integration of AI in medicine is rapidly transforming healthcare. His algorithm not only sets a new benchmark for accuracy but also paves the way for future innovations in medical imaging and diagnostics. He envisions a future where AI-driven solutions enable personalised treatments extending his research into oncology and neurology.