SMARTPHONE POWERS CANCER-DETECTING DEVICE

$400 Smartphone-Powered Device to Detect Cervical Cancer

MobileOCT, a biotech startup based in Tel Aviv, Israel, is developing a handheld device that can detect cancer. The first prototype is a mobile colposcope, capable of detecting cervical cancer. The Israeli company is aiming to democratise high-tech cancer detection and make it more accessible to the millions of women who currently don’t have access.

The device combines the imaging capabilities of a smartphone with a large lens and several lights housed in the handle. When assembled, it is used to examine suspect areas in order to determine the presence of cancerous tumors. The images are initially assessed by the operator on-site, then sent to the cloud to be reviewed by a professional.

The handheld device takes advantage of the increasing availability of smartphones around the world to bring first-grade diagnostic tools to a greater majority of people. It is hoped the tool will greatly increase early cancer detection rates and thereby increase survival rates for patients with cervical cancer.