Straight from the horse’s mouth: New Israeli AI helps horses tell us when they are in pain

Dr. Marcelo Feighelstein of Tel Hai University has developed SHIC-XE, a new AI framework that detects pain in horses through video analysis, providing stable and anatomically consistent explanations. Published in the International Journal of Computer Vision, this technology addresses the challenge of identifying pain in individuals who cannot communicate, including newborns and patients with various medical conditions. Unlike traditional 2D methods that produce unstable visual maps, SHIC-XE projects the horse's attention onto a fixed 3D facial representation, ensuring consistent anatomical explanations even with movement or varying camera angles. Feighelstein stated, "We want to give a technological voice to those who have no words." This breakthrough allows AI-generated explanations to be quantitatively compared with expert assessments, enhancing trust in AI systems for clinical and healthcare environments. The system, which focuses on areas like ears and cheek muscles, aims to support veterinarians by providing continuous monitoring and eventually estimating pain severity and origin.