A software that features a Virtual Reality (VR)-based immersive view inside a CT or MRI scan where a user can navigate the 3D scan of a human body was the best Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based solution at a Microsoft talent hunt competition on April 20.

AI and Machine Learning (ML) technologies dominated Microsoft's "Imagine Cup" competition as nearly 60 per cent of the entries received this year were inspired by AI technologies. "It is very interesting to see that AI has been one of the biggest plays in all the students' entries. They are applying the technology in different ways in several use cases, helping us in industries like healthcare and education," said Anant Maheshwari, President, Microsoft India. Palash Ranjan Bansal, a student from IIIT Delhi, was declared the grand winner of the India chapter.

Bansal created "RealVol" software that features a Virtual Reality (VR)-based immersive view inside a CT or MRI scan where a user can navigate the 3D scan of a human body. "I have been working on 'RealVol' for more than one and half years. It started off as a research project to get medical rendering in VR," said Bansal. "When I saw the market, I realised that people want this kind of stuff. I took it as a challenge to deploy the software in the health industry," he said.

The first runners-up position went to "DrugSafe" app that was developed by the student of RV College of Engineering, Bengaluru. "DrugSafe" is targeted to mitigate counterfeit medicine growth in the market. Second runners-up was "Practikality" app developed by Amity International School, Gurugram. It is a ML-based assistant to help the differently-abled communicate efficiently. The students will represent India at the "Imagine Cup" finals in the US to compete for $100,000 prize money and a mentoring session with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

"The percentage of AI-based solutions this year is dramatic. It clearly shows how much AI is on the minds of the young innovators," Maheshwari said. In addition to AI, Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain and Machine Learning (ML) have been key technologies that students focused on for the competition. Considered as "Olympics of Technology", Imagine Cup is a global annual competition sponsored and hosted by Microsoft. Over the past 10 years, more than 1.65 million students from more than 190 countries have participated in the "Imagine Cup". This year's Imagine Cup also witnessed an increased participation from girl students. There was also a 29 per cent increase in accessibility-related projects.