Health Diagnostics

Neil Euliano of Convergent Engineering in the U.S. is developing and testing a maternal-fetal monitoring system that uses reusable capacitive sensors and smart phones that provide early diagnosis for preeclampsia, labor dystocia, and the presence of preterm labor. The system allows time for transportation of these complicated deliveries to a capable facility.

Noune Sarvazyan and a team at Artann Laboratories in the U.S. will develop a hand-held ultrasonic device for noninvasive measurement of soft tissue water content to assess dehydration in newborns. Dehydration is one of the leading causes of infant morbidity and mortality.

Karen Wu of Lucerna, Inc. in the U.S. seeks to develop a portable fluorescence-based device for the rapid detection of procalcitonin (PCT), a biomarker of early sepsis. An inexpensive, simple to use and highly durable device can aid in the early detection of neonatal sepsis, a major cause of infant mortality in developing countries.

Zhenan Bao of Stanford University in the U.S. will develop a low-cost sensing strip with a diagnostic reader to diagnose pre-eclampsia. The diagnosis is based upon the fact that there is an electrical current change when pre-eclampsia is present. If successful, this diagnostic tool could be used for the early detection and monitoring of this condition to avoid late-stage pregnancy complications.

Larry Rand and colleagues at the University of California, San Francisco in the U.S. will develop a vaginal diaphragm to detect changes in cervical collagen and wirelessly alert health providers before preterm labor begins. This device would identify a new pre-labor "window" during which intervention could reduce mortality and disability resulting from preterm birth among at-risk pregnant women.

Kristen DeStigter and Brian Garra of Imaging the World in the U.S. will test a newly developed ultrasound imaging and diagnosis system that can be used in rural areas without trained personnel or electricity to help detect critical maternal conditions that increase maternal and infant mortality.

Stephen Chou of Princeton University in the U.S. will further develop a simple and inexpensive assay for diagnosing fetal brain injury using smartphones to detect biomarkers from a drop of blood that can be used by untrained individuals. Biomarkers of brain function have been identified, but technological limitations mean their detection requires expensive assays and trained professionals.

Manish Arora of the GE India Technology Centre Private Limited in Bangalore, India will assess the feasibility of using new low-cost ultrasound transducers to create an affordable diagnostic ultrasound scanner for use in the developing world. Arora's prototype device will also feature a power-saving mode to save battery power, as well as wireless connectivity features that can enable telehealth solutions in remote locations.

Peter Lillehoj and Chih-Ming Ho of the University of California, Los Angeles in the US. will develop a disposable malaria biosensor based on a SIM card platform. This SIM card-biosensor will allow malaria detection to be performed using a cell phone, making diagnostic testing more widely available in rural and decentralized settings.

Amit Srivastava of Children's Hospital, Boston in the U.S., along with colleagues at MIT, will develop a novel drug compliance platform combining the use of mobile phones for a simple diagnostic test, with economic incentives. The device will include a platform that measures drug metabolites in bodily fluids to generate a readout. Test results submitted on time will result in immediate economic rewards, such as additional cell phone minutes.