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AI Tools for Cancer Care Developed in Ostrava

17. 10. 2026 News
An AI guide for cancer treatment, an intelligent assistant for doctors, and more efficient scheduling at an outpatient oncology treatment unit. These were among the solutions developed during the 24-hour Rakathon 2026, where participants explored ways to use artificial intelligence to address challenges in oncology.
AI Tools for Cancer Care Developed in Ostrava

The winning teams from the Ostrava round of the hackathon advanced to the national finals in Prague. The Dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at VSB – Technical University of Ostrava also presented a special award for the best technical solution.

Rakathon 2026 took place simultaneously in Prague, Brno, and Ostrava, bringing together students, developers, data analysts, doctors, and researchers with experts from leading oncology centres. In Ostrava, the event was co-organised by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at VSB – Technical University of Ostrava (VSB-TUO), University Hospital Ostrava, and the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ostrava.

"Our faculty has long been involved in developing healthcare technologies and connecting technical disciplines with clinical practice. One example is the Healthcare 4.0 Challenge initiative, in which students work alongside healthcare professionals to develop solutions to specific challenges encountered in hospitals. I am pleased that we were able to contribute our experience and technological facilities to Rakathon and support the development of further innovative projects with the potential for practical application," said Radek Martinek, Dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at VSB-TUO.

AI Tools for Doctors and Patients
The Ostrava round featured five specific challenges. Four were proposed by University Hospital Ostrava and the fifth by University Hospital Olomouc. Three additional challenges were open to participants in all three cities.

The teams worked on projects such as developing an AI guide that would provide cancer patients with clear, verified information about their treatment, or an assistant that would help doctors navigate medical records and prepare for multidisciplinary team meetings. Other projects focused on improving the scheduling and operation of outpatient oncology treatment units, automating data processing for the National Cancer Registry, and developing an intelligent assistant to support surgeons during robot-assisted procedures.

"The goal in healthcare is not to introduce artificial intelligence at any cost, but to use it where it can genuinely benefit doctors and patients. It is essential that proposed solutions address real clinical needs and are safe and reliable. I consider the opportunity for healthcare professionals and developers to work directly together to be one of the greatest benefits of Rakathon," said Ondřej Volný, Vice-Dean for Science and Research at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, and President of the Czech Society for Artificial Intelligence and Innovative Digital Technologies in Medicine.

Teams Presented Their Prototypes
After 24 hours of intensive work, the teams submitted their projects for evaluation by the organisations that had proposed the individual challenges. The assessment focused primarily on the functionality of the proposed solutions, their benefits, and their potential for further practical application.

"As a mentor, I had the opportunity to watch teams gradually transform their ideas into working prototypes in just one day. It was not only about programming, but also about understanding the challenge, designing an appropriate approach, and verifying that the solution actually worked. This approach is essential to the development of new technologies," said Jan Platoš, Vice-Rector for Science, Research and Doctoral Studies at VSB-TUO.

The award ceremony in Ostrava also included the presentation of the Dean's Award from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at VSB-TUO. Dean Radek Martinek presented the award for the best technical solution to the Zero Latency team.

Rakathon is organised by the techno-social laboratory Insane Business Ideas in cooperation with healthcare and academic institutions. The event's main partner is Všeobecná zdravotní pojišťovna ČR (VZP), the Czech Republic's largest public health insurance company, and its main technology partner is InterSystems. The national finals will take place in Prague on 18 October, where the best teams will compete for prizes of CZK 100,000, CZK 50,000, and CZK 25,000.