In Uganda, where complications during pregnancy happen often, a device that can quickly check for problems during pregnancy could save lives. Three sophomores at Makerere University in Uganda invented a device, called WinSenga, that connects to a smartphone to perform ultrasounds on pregnant women.
The device consists of a funnel-like horn — similar to the pinard horns used by midwives in the area to listen to fetal sounds — that's connected via a wire to a smartphone. Traditional pinard horns work much like stethoscopes, allowing parents, doulas or midwives to listen to a baby's heartbeat. An irregular heartbeat can signify an abnormality.
When pressed on the stomach, the the funnel will pick up fetal sounds and then transmit them to the phone, which displays information about the baby’s condition. An application on the phone also records and analyzes the sounds to determine information about the pregnancy and its progression, like the baby’s age and heart rate.
WinSenga won at the 2012 Microsoft East and Southern Africa Imagine Cup competition. The group will be competing in the worldwide finals for the Imagine Cup and plan to make the device commercially available after July.
via Ventures Africa
Credit: WinSenga
