Dyson Prize Awarded To Inventors Of Skin Cancer Scanner

2024 Author: | . Last modified: 2024-01-10 03:12

Young scientists have invented an inexpensive device that can diagnose skin cancer at an early stage. MedicForum found out the details of the opening. It was developed by students from McMaster University. It is cheap, portable, and easily identifies melanoma, a specific form of skin cancer. This device can save thousands of lives, as it detects the most common form of tumor. Early detection of skin cancer is difficult. Modern medicine uses visual examination or biopsy for this. But many doctors are not qualified for the first method, while patients do not have enough money for the second. Cancer damages the metabolism of skin cells. It is known that diseased cells heat up faster than healthy cells. To make it easier to identify these processes, graduate students at McMaster University created a detector with 16 thermistors that can track temperature changes. Thus, thermistors are placed on an area of skin that may be damaged by cancer, and the device creates a temperature map to detect a malignant tumor. “The use of inexpensive components makes sKan (device name) available for diagnosing melanoma for many patients. It is a device that can save many lives.” - James Dyson, founder of the Prize. In addition to the award itself, the team also received a cash prize of $ 40,000 to improve the invention. Earlier, in March 2017, they received their first $ 10K prize in the Forge's Student Start-up Pitch competition. Scientists decided to develop this very area when they realized how little technology helps in the fight against skin cancer. According to The Guardian, about 39 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every day in the United States. Early detection of this disease is the only chance to overcome it. If sKan justifies itself, it will make a big difference. Earlier, experts talked about a scanner that finds cancer.