Leading AI Expert Jepson Taylor Joins Wingwomen to Oversee Development of AI-Powered Vaginal Speculum
BOSTON, MA - Wingwomen, a pioneering women’s Femhealth startup, today announced Jepson Taylor’s appointment as an advisor. Taylor, a well-established expert in machine learning, and data science and a renowned visionary in the advancements of Artificial Intelligence (AI), joins the company to provide oversight to the development of AI Vaginal Speculums.
The AI vaginal speculum is part of a line of speculums that were designed by Wingwomen Founder Adonica Shaw and are currently patent-pending. Shaw, who is an African American doula and patient advocate, ideated the devices to provide a minimally invasive alternative to traditional speculums and announced the patent attempt in July this year. The patent attempt may be the first by an African-American inventor globally.
“By integrating AI into procedures like pap smears and pelvic exams, we can open the doors to additional minimally invasive alternatives, said Mr. Taylor. The fusion of advanced imaging and AI algorithms could revolutionize how we visualize the vaginal and cervical regions, eliminating the need for physical dilation. This not only makes the process less intrusive, but potentially more precise, as AI possesses the ability to discern subtle discrepancies often missed by the human eye. Furthermore, it diminishes the reliance on multiple sizes of speculums, and reduces the need for physical contact significantly reducing the risk of discomfort or even injury.”
Taylor is the Chief AI Strategist at Dataiku. Prior to his current role, he served as Chief AI Evangelist at Data Robot, and co-founded the deep learning startup Zeff.ai, which was acquired by DataRobot. He also has multiple years of experience building AI systems for HireVue and Micron.
In his new role at Wingwomen, Taylor’s vast experience will be pivotal in guiding the company's priorities around the devices. The vaginal speculum, a diagnostic instrument developed in the 1800s, remains a pivotal tool for gynecological examinations. Yet, its design has seen minimal innovation over the decades, causing discomfort for many patients during examinations. Artificial Intelligence (AI) stands poised to play a transformative role in the evolution of this essential device. With AI's capabilities to analyze vast amounts of data and derive patterns, the speculum can be redesigned based on feedback from countless patients, leading to a tool that accounts for varying anatomies and offers a more comfortable experience.
Furthermore, the integration of AI into the examination process itself can pave the way for minimally invasive alternatives. Advanced imaging techniques, coupled with AI algorithms, could allow for detailed visualization of the vaginal and cervical areas without the need for physical dilation. Taylor’s involvement in the development of the speculums marks a significant opportunity to provide these benefits to women.
“While the vaginal speculums that were ideated in the 1800’s were foundational for their era, we stand at the precipice of a new era in women’s reproductive health where our foundation could be rebuilt based on the technologies in existence today. We're literally on the cusp of integrating AI to offer a more advanced, inclusive, comfortable, and efficient examination experience and I believe Mr. Taylor’s expertise is a significant step forward as we build a new standard for how women receive care. Our commitment is primarily to harness these innovations for a tailor-made healthcare journey for every woman," said Adonica Shaw, CEO. We're unwavering in our mission to ensure women have unhindered access to reproductive health care. We’re excited to integrate Mr. Taylor's expertise into our vision, and together, we hope to make a tremendous impact."
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About Wingwomen:
Wingwomen's value-based approach to reproductive health care and fertility education uniquely addresses knowledge and care gaps for women in the patient populations it serves. The Massachusetts-based Femhealth company is on a mission to improve reproductive health outcomes and reduce the time to diagnosis for conditions like Endometriosis and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. For more information, visit www.mywingwomen.com