Center for Advanced Studies in Engineering (CASE) jointly with EME College won  P@sha (Pakistan Software House Association) ICT Award 2015 in e-Health and Well Beingcategory for their software product “Al-Basr” on October 12, 2015 (http://pashaictawards.com/winners-2015/). Al Basr is an Eye Hospital Electronics Management, Record, Diagnostic and Telemedicine System.

The work on the project (Al Basr) was based upon the research work conducted by a PhD scholar, now Dr. Usman Akram, two MS students Ms. Fauzia and Mr. Abu Baker Yammin on the software based diagnostics of various diseases of human eye (Diabetic Retinopathy, Glaucoma for diabetic patients and paralytic strabismus (Bhenga Pun) during 2009-2013.

Looking at the importance of this work, Ignite (Formerly National ICT R&D Fund) awarded CASE a research grant of Rs 13 million to transform this research into commercial product in 2012. As Principal Investigator of this funding, Dr. Shafaat A. Bazaz formed following team of experts from CASE, EME College and local hospitals:

  • 3 Phd professors (Dr Usman Akram , Dr Waheed Iqbal, Dr Ammanullah),
  • 3 Software developers and Engineers (Fawad, Furqan, Ammar, Shagufta, Yaqub Khan also faculty members of CASE )
  • Researchers (Sarmad AbbasAnam Usman, Fauzia, Anam Abdus salam, Abu Baker)
  • 15 Undergrad students of Batch 11, BSCS and BSEE as part of their FYPs. Presently, 12 more students are working on their FYPs
  • 8 Master Students graduated including Tahir Akram from ECE
  • 1 PhD Student under process
  • 5 top eye specialists from Armed Forces Institute of Ophthalmology (AFIO), Military Hospital, Rawalpindi (To name Major Dr Ubaid, Brigadier Dr Imran Basit)
  • 1 medical doctor Intensive Care Unit Specialist Dr Salman Koul from PIMS
  • 3 book chapters, +15 journal  and +30 conference joint publications were produced as part of this project

It took 6 years of dedicated team work to transform this research into a commercial product with the name “Al-Basr” and is currently installed at AFIO and is serving a large number of patients and also got recognition from P@sha in its annual awards.

This work is a source of motivation for our young scientists to work on research problem related to Pakistan and develop products for the betterment of our people.

Ignite (Formerly National ICT R&D Fund) congratulates the project team on winning the award and also appreciates the concerted efforts they have been relaying over the years.

CASE can proudly claim that we have spent each and every paisa of the Ignite (Formerly National ICT R&D Fund) received in last 6 year with lots of care to ensure that this results in the product evolution for the generation of jobs in Pakistan.