Journal of Intelligent Systems and Internet of Things

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https://doi.org/10.54216/JISIoT

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2690-6791ISSN (Online) 2769-786XISSN (Print)

Volume 18 , Issue 2 , PP: 169-186, 2026 | Cite this article as | XML | Html | PDF | Full Length Article

Hybrid Neural Networks and Machine Learning for Detection of Diabetic Retinopathy

Waleed Khalid Al-zubaidi 1 , Shokhan M. Al-Barzinji 2 , Zaid Sami Mohsen 3 , Omar Muthanna Khudhur 4 *

  • 1 College of Biomedical Informatics, University of Information Technology and Communications, Baghdad, Iraq - (dr.waleed.khalid@uoitc.edu.iq)
  • 2 Department of Computer Networks Systems, College of Computer Science and Information Technology, University of Anbar, Ramadi, Iraq - (shokhan.albarzinji@uoanbar.edu.iq)
  • 3 Department of Computer Science and Information Technology, College of Science, University of Hilla, 51001 Babil, Iraq - (zaid.sami2020@gmail.com)
  • 4 Department of Computer Engineering Techniques, College of Technical Engineering, University of Al Maarif, Al Anbar, 31001, Iraq - (omar.m.khudhur@uoa.edu.iq)
  • Doi: https://doi.org/10.54216/JISIoT.180213

    Received: April 05, 2025 Revised: June 20, 2025 Accepted: August 21, 2025
    Abstract

    Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the most common causes of blindness in the world, and early detection plays an important role in therapy. In this paper, we introduce a hybrid framework with the merger of sophisticated image processing techniques and deep learning models for automated DR detection from retinal fundus images. Information starts with an extensive preprocessing pipeline, which includes bilateral filtering for noise reduction, removal of artifacts, adaptive contrast enhancement and a precise segmentation in the U-Net architecture. To increase model robustness, random rotation augmentation was used to mimic different imaging positions. GLCM analysis is used to extract texture features capturing important lesion-related patterns, and deep features are extracted using a fine-tuned EfficientNet-B0 model. The hybrid feature set is then modelled by a Support Vector Machine (SVM) with the radial basis function kernel and optimized with cross-validation and hyperactive parameters. Experiments show our model can well solve the image heterogeneity problem and yields a high level of accuracy in diagnosis and grading corresponding severity requirements of DR stage.

    Keywords :

    Deep learning , Diabetic Retinopathy , Machine learning , Support Vector Machine , EfficientNet-B0

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    Cite This Article As :
    Khalid, Waleed. , M., Shokhan. , Sami, Zaid. , Muthanna, Omar. Hybrid Neural Networks and Machine Learning for Detection of Diabetic Retinopathy. Journal of Intelligent Systems and Internet of Things, vol. , no. , 2026, pp. 169-186. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54216/JISIoT.180213
    Khalid, W. M., S. Sami, Z. Muthanna, O. (2026). Hybrid Neural Networks and Machine Learning for Detection of Diabetic Retinopathy. Journal of Intelligent Systems and Internet of Things, (), 169-186. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54216/JISIoT.180213
    Khalid, Waleed. M., Shokhan. Sami, Zaid. Muthanna, Omar. Hybrid Neural Networks and Machine Learning for Detection of Diabetic Retinopathy. Journal of Intelligent Systems and Internet of Things , no. (2026): 169-186. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54216/JISIoT.180213
    Khalid, W. , M., S. , Sami, Z. , Muthanna, O. (2026) . Hybrid Neural Networks and Machine Learning for Detection of Diabetic Retinopathy. Journal of Intelligent Systems and Internet of Things , () , 169-186 . DOI: https://doi.org/10.54216/JISIoT.180213
    Khalid W. , M. S. , Sami Z. , Muthanna O. [2026]. Hybrid Neural Networks and Machine Learning for Detection of Diabetic Retinopathy. Journal of Intelligent Systems and Internet of Things. (): 169-186. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54216/JISIoT.180213
    Khalid, W. M., S. Sami, Z. Muthanna, O. "Hybrid Neural Networks and Machine Learning for Detection of Diabetic Retinopathy," Journal of Intelligent Systems and Internet of Things, vol. , no. , pp. 169-186, 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54216/JISIoT.180213