Prof. Elakkiya Rajasekar
Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science, Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, Dubai Campus
“Leading AIRE+ is both an exciting and purposeful journey for me. The project represents a defining opportunity to transform my passion for AI-driven healthcare into tangible societal impact. The RDI program of the Dubai Future Foundation provides the perfect ecosystem to translate this vision into reality and enable innovation that bridges research, technology, and human wellbeing.”
The AIRE+ (AI-Based Breath Biomarker Analysis for Non-Invasive Risk Scoring of Diabetes and Lung Cancer) project aims to revolutionize early disease detection through breath analysis. Exhaled breath contains volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that reflect underlying metabolic and pathological processes. By integrating advanced sensor technologies with artificial intelligence, AIRE+ seeks to decode these biomarkers and enable accurate, non-invasive risk prediction for chronic diseases.
The AIRE+ project brings together a strong research partnership among BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus (BPDC), University of Dubai (UoD), New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), SASTRA University, Gulf Medical University (GMU), and Atlas Medicals LLC. This collaboration combines expertise in AI modelling, embedded systems, sensor technology, clinical workflows, and commercialisation to establish an end-to-end innovation pipeline.
Through this initiative, AIRE+ aims to strengthen the UAE’s leadership in the health technology ecosystem by building capacity for breath-based diagnostics and enabling future deployment at scale. The project targets measurable outcomes including validated VOC datasets, explainable AI models, an embedded prototype, and pilot-level evidence supporting progression toward clinical and commercial readiness.