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AI_PREMie wins AI Innovation of the Year at Public Sector Digital Transformation Awards 2023

Tuesday, 10 October, 2023

A project led by University College Dublin that uses artificial intelligence to diagnose the dangerous pregnancy condition preeclampsia has won the AI Innovation of the Year at the Public Sector Digital Transformation Awards, which celebrate the incredible achievements of the Irish public sector digital transformation. 

Pictured left to right: Dr Brian Mac Namee, Professor Patricia Maguire, Cora McCann and Ana Le Chevillier.

AI_PREMie is a prototype decision-support solution that enables an accurate preeclampsia diagnosis in an expectant mother between 20-40 weeks’ gestation. Diagnosing preeclampsia can be a challenge for even the most experienced clinicians and midwives - and annually the disease is responsible for over 70,000 maternal deaths and 500,000 foetal deaths worldwide.

“We are thrilled to have our work recognised with the AI Innovation of the Year Award,” says project lead, Professor Patricia Maguire, speaking after the black tie gala event in Dublin’s Shelbourne hotel. 

“This achievement would not have been possible without the incredible support of our amazing interdisciplinary team and generous Challenge Funding from Science Foundation Ireland.” 

The Public Sector Digital Transformation Awards recognise and celebrate excellence and innovation in the delivery of public sector digital transformation. They shine the spotlight on cutting-edge technologies and innovative approaches to digital transformation that have made a real impact, improved service delivery, and enhanced citizen experiences. 

The winners of each category were selected by an esteemed panel of judges with extensive international experience in digital transformation, technology and public sector management.

AI_PREMie is the flagship project of the UCD AI Healthcare Hub (AIHH) and a collaboration between UCD, the National Maternity Hospital, the Rotunda Hospital and the Coombe Women’s and Children’s Hospital, in Dublin.

Previously AI_PREMie has achieved both national and international recognition including winning the NovaUCD Invention of the Year Award (2021); the AI Ireland Awards, Best Application of AI to achieve Social Good (2022); the AI Ireland Awards, Best Application of AI in an Academic Research Body (2022); and the AI and Analytics Award for Societal Good (2023). Moreover, the International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI), under the auspices of UNESCO, selected AI_PREMie as “Excellent” in the list of the world’s top 100 projects using AI to solve problems related to the 17 United Nations SDGs.