TISDC 2021: BEDA Special Award goes to SONA – an ultrasound device using AI for instant diagnoses
Photo: The BEDA Special Award was presented by Don Chen (right), CEO of iSee Taiwan Foundation, credit: 2021TISDC– by Päivi Tahkokallio, Past President of Bureau of European Design Associations BEDA 2019—2021 and member of the TISDC2021 jury representing BEDA.
BEDA Special Award of the Taiwan International Student Design Competition 2021 goes to project SONA by designer Megan Lincoln (UK).
Congratulations for the ambitious, thorough and highly relevant design work!
SONA is a high-powered ultrasound device enabling non-specialist clinicians to carry out a breast ultrasound using Artificial Intelligence to receive instant feedback on the patient’s condition.
The device utilises cameras and infrared depth technology generating a bespoke navigation path clinicians can follow, ensuring whatever the patient’s shape or size, clinicians can be confident they have covered all areas. For women opting for non-invasive monitoring of their breast cancer, Sona provides the opportunity to receive treatment from a local facility with the same clinician providing familiarity, continuity of care and a reduction in anxiety through instant results. (www.lboro.ac.uk)
Healthcare industry is a large global industry sector that has only gained momentum during the Covid-19 pandemic. Consumers’ needs are more and more driving innovation in health-related products, services, and tools.
In 2020, there were 2.3 million women diagnosed with breast cancer and 685 000 deaths globally. As of the end of 2020, there were 7.8 million women alive who were diagnosed with breast cancer in the past 5 years, says WHO (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/breast-cancer).
Conservative preventive care methods and tools related to breast cancer, i.e. X-ray are painful and results can take up to a week. SONA is an innovative tool optimising the user-journey, supporting what is one of the most important steps to fight against the world’s most prevalent cancer, namely preventive care and as early a recognition of the condition as possible, in a most user-friendly manner.
All Special Awards at TISDC are granted by organisations like BEDA collaborating with TISDC. Funding for the special awards is generously provided by the organisers of TISDC.
More about SONA and Megan Lincoln HERE
More info about TISDC HERE