NAAMII Medical AI Research Contributes to FDA-Cleared Orthopedic Surgical Planning Platform
Kathmandu, Nepal · September 2026
NAAMII is pleased to share that its medical AI research, developed in collaboration with U.S.-based medical technology company Planning Logic Inc. (PLAI), has contributed to an orthopedic surgical planning platform that has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance.
The platform uses AI to analyze medical images, generate patient-specific anatomical models, measure joint alignment, and support preoperative planning for orthopedic procedures.
The core AI research and development was led by NAAMII’s MAPMED Lab, marking an important milestone in the development of medical AI research from Nepal for clinical applications.
“This is an important milestone not only for our team, but for the kind of research ecosystem we are building at NAAMII. The project shows that researchers in Nepal can contribute to medical AI that meets demanding clinical and regulatory standards and is ultimately deployed in global healthcare markets.”
— Research Scientist, MAPMED Lab, NAAMII
From Medical Images to Surgical Planning
Orthopedic surgical planning requires precise analysis of patient anatomy and careful preoperative measurements.
NAAMII’s contributions to the platform have included:
- AI algorithm development
- Model testing and validation
- Clinical evaluation
- Medical imaging analysis
- Technical and regulatory documentation
The research team worked across the development and evaluation of AI models for medical imaging and surgical planning, alongside the testing and documentation needed to move the technology toward clinical use.
“Medical AI requires much more than developing a model that performs well on a dataset. It requires rigorous validation, clinical understanding, and attention to how the technology will actually be used. Working through that entire process has been an important experience for our research team.”
— CTO, Planning Logic Inc.
Research That Moves Toward Clinical Use
For NAAMII’s MAPMED Lab, the project represents experience working through the full journey from medical AI research and model development to validation, clinical evaluation, and regulatory processes.
With the FDA clearance marking an important step in the platform’s development, research and development will continue across medical imaging, AI-assisted surgical planning, and related applications.
NAAMII extends its appreciation to the clinicians, regulatory experts, consultants, executive leadership, collaborators, and industry partners who supported the project throughout its development and evaluation.
Building Medical AI Research from Nepal
The project is part of NAAMII’s broader effort to develop research capacity in Nepal while connecting local researchers with high-impact problems in healthcare and other fields.
It demonstrates one pathway through which research conducted in Nepal can contribute to technologies developed for clinical use internationally.
About NAAMII
NAAMII (NepAl Applied Mathematics and Informatics Institute for research) is a multidisciplinary AI Center of Excellence founded by Nepali researchers. NAAMII works across AI research, education and outreach, and industry innovation, with a focus on building research capacity and applying AI to high-impact challenges.