Kerala Scientist Develops A Bra To Detect Breast Cancer That Costs Only Rs 400

Dhir Acharya - Mar 19, 2019

With sensors embedded inside, the bra measures the temperature of the skin and produces thermal imaging to identify cancerous cells to detect breast cancer.

WHO has pointed out, in its Cancer Report, that the most common type of cancer among women in India is Breast Cancer. Now, scientist A Seema in Kerala and her team has created a bra capable of detecting breast cancer.

Dr. A Seema of the C-MET (Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology) from Thrissur leads a team of six members. The bra developed by the team, with sensors embedded inside, measures the temperature of the skin and produces thermal imaging to identify cancerous cells.

On International Women’s Day, March 8, Seema was awarded Nari Shakti Puraskar, which is the highest civilian honor for women, by President Ram Nath Kovind for the innovation.

Talking to The Better India, Dr. Seema shared the story behind her creation. She said that the idea started when Malabar Cancer Center’s director visited the team back in 2014. The Center and the team then became partners in this project.

In addition, according to Seema, the bra does not release any type of radiation and is 100 percent safe. She claimed that even young girls at the age of 15 or 20 can wear this bra since it can fit all kinds of body. This device surpasses the conventional method of using mammogram, in which only women older than 40 years old can take X-ray screening.

Notably, the bra costs only between Rs 400 and 500.

Currently, the team is working to commercialize the bra so that every woman can access the low-cost cancer-detecting device. Hopefully, the bra will soon make it to medical centers.