CUHK establishes start-up company to apply AI-based retinal image analysis in sports industry

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) established its Global Sports & Wellness Innovation Centre (GSWIC) on Tuesday to apply its Automatic Retinal Image Analysis (ARIA) to the sports industry.

GSWIC was set up by CUHK's Centre for Clinical Research and Biostatistics along with bioanalytical and sports technology companies. It aims to transform ARIA into services and products in the sports sector to promote the health and welfare of athletes.

That included utilizing the technology to recruit sports talents based on their retinal image to analyze their physical strength, speed, agility, reaction time, and other abilities.

In addition, the images can be used for preliminary detection of mild injuries caused by contact sports like American football, rugby, boxing, Muay Thai, and mixed martial arts, as well as monitor athletes' rehabilitation progress.

The Centre will also cooperate with mainland companies to manufacture the relevant equipment that captures retinal images. 

ARIA technology was developed in 2012 by Benny Zee Chung-ying, Director of the JC School of Public Health and Primary Care at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and his research team.

Zee said that the technology has been used in studies on depression, stroke, diabetes and other health risk research over the years, with an accuracy of 93 percent to 98 percent.