5C Network, India’s leading teleradiology and AI radiology company, has joined hands with BPL Medical Technologies, a homegrown leader in medical devices, to introduce BPL Cortex an AI-powered digital X-ray platform that promises to revolutionise chest imaging in resource-constrained healthcare settings. The launch, held on January 25, 2026, in Bengaluru, brings together 5C’s extensively validated qXR AI model with BPL’s robust digital radiography hardware to deliver automated, high-accuracy interpretation directly at the point of imaging.

The BPL Cortex system enables radiologists and frontline physicians to receive instant preliminary reports highlighting key abnormalities including tuberculosis, pneumonia, pleural effusion, cardiomegaly, lung nodules, and pneumothorax with confidence scores and localisation heatmaps. The AI runs on-device or edge servers for offline functionality, ensuring usability in rural and semi-urban primary health centres (PHCs) and district hospitals where internet connectivity is unreliable. Reports are generated in local languages, compliant with ABDM standards, and can be instantly pushed to patients’ ABHA-linked digital health records.

The technology builds on 5C Network’s qXR model, which has already been deployed across thousands of sites in India and globally, with WHO-endorsed performance for TB screening. By embedding this AI directly into BPL’s X-ray machines, the partnership eliminates the need for separate cloud uploads or manual image transfer reducing diagnostic turnaround time from hours or days to minutes and easing the burden on India’s overburdened radiology workforce.

Dr. Arjun Kalyanpur, Founder & CEO of 5C Network, said: “Chest X-ray remains the most widely used imaging test in India, especially for TB and respiratory infections. Yet interpretation delays and radiologist shortages limit its effectiveness. BPL Cortex brings world-class AI directly into the X-ray machine empowering every technician and doctor at the frontline to make faster, more confident decisions.”

Mr. Anish Bafna, Managing Director & CEO of BPL Medical Technologies, added: “India needs solutions that are Made-in-India and Made-for-India. By combining our reliable hardware with 5C’s proven AI, we are delivering a complete, affordable, and scalable platform that can transform primary care diagnostics nationwide.”

The platform has already undergone extensive validation in Indian hospital settings, showing high sensitivity and specificity for critical findings while maintaining low false-positive rates. Regulatory clearances (CDSCO) are in advanced stages, with commercial rollout planned for Q2 2026 across government and private facilities. The system is priced to support large-scale deployment under National Health Mission and state health programmes.

This collaboration reflects the growing momentum in India’s medtech sector toward indigenous innovation that combines hardware excellence with AI intelligence addressing real-world challenges in TB screening, pneumonia diagnosis, and general chest pathology interpretation.