Rebecca Richards-Kortum is a name that every developing nation should note down. This female has dedicated her complete career to engineering education as well as the development of new technologies for these places. She works at the Rice University where her team has developed many new technologies under her leadership. The one we are talking about here is a High Resolution Microendoscope (HRME).
HRME is one of the multiple medical instruments that has been developed by Rebecca’s team with a single intent – to give instant results to healthcare providers and patients without any delays. The accuracy of results is perfect and the patients will not have to wait for further treatment due to any delay in results. The team also performed a study of 147 patients from China and US and tried to estimate how well can the traditional machines be replaced by this endoscope. The device just needs to be placed over patient’s skin and it takes a look into cells eliminating the need for any internal scoping systems. The scans can be reviewed by the healthcare professionals immediately in place of waiting for biopsy results.
The Low Cost High Resolution Endoscope comes with fiberoptic probe that is to be used over a patient connected with a microscopic system placed inside a closed box and runs on a battery. The complete device can be manufactured in less than $3500 which means it can be used in clinic located in most distant regions. The study has resulted in the elimination of around sixty percent of biopsies that clinics compel their patients for. This is not the first or the last one, Richards carries the title for several other such discoveries that can make a serious difference to a patient’s life. She recently received the MacArthur Genius Grant as a part of the 2016 Class. Her inventions have benefitted some 93, 000 people across 24 nations. The total number of technologies released by her team till date total at 215.
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