Kulinda
Low-cost medical device detects pneumonia quickly and effectively
It is difficult to diagnose pneumonia in children as it can easily be mistaken for a common cold or flu in its early stages. This error could be fatal. It’s especially difficult to diagnose the infectious disease in developing countries where expertise and technology are not readily available. UK Product Designer, Stefan Guiton’s Kenyan mother, who is a doctor, provided him with a first-hand account of this problem: “She stressed how inaccurate the method of diagnosis was while she was practicing, as she had to hold babies in her arms and monitor their chest movements alongside a watch to count their respiratory rate." Guiton’s mother’s memories inspired him to create Kulinda, which means “protect” in Swahili. It’s a medical device which is strapped on a child that records their breaths per minute with a stretch sensor. An indicator light flashes if pneumonia is present or not. This is determined by an algorithm within a microchip inside the device.