Why equipment sits idle
In low- and middle-income countries, much diagnostic equipment is underused or out of service. Timely maintenance is missing, technical expertise is scarce, and manufacturers give little support, especially for devices bought from third-party vendors or donated.
The platform
The research describes an AI-powered support platform that pairs a large language model with a simple web interface. Imaging technologists, radiographers and biomedical technicians enter an error code or describe a symptom and get step-by-step troubleshooting guidance. A global peer-to-peer forum helps with rare or undocumented problems.
Proof of concept
Tested on the Philips HDI 5000 ultrasound system, the platform:
- interpreted error codes with 100% precision
- suggested the correct corrective action 80% of the time
The study shows that AI-assisted support can realistically reduce equipment downtime in resource-constrained settings. This platform became Ingenzi.