Rios and his cancer-detecting bra. / Image: Higia
A Telegraph article tells of new device aimed at combatting breast cancer through early detection. After his mother endured a double mastectomy, 18-year-old Julian Rios Cantu invented a bra capable of detecting signs of breast cancer. Rios’ Mexico-based company, Higia Technologies, won the $20,000 top prize in the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards.
The “auto exploration bra,” which only has to be worn for an hour a week, contains 200 sensors that map the surface of the breast including texture, color, and temperature. The data is then transferred to a computer or smartphone via Bluetooth where it’s processed by a neural network. The heat sensors detect increased blood flow, which could suggest the blood is feeding cancer cells.
