Breast cancer is an unforgiving condition for women in India. It is has become the leading cause of death from cancer in the country, overtaking cervical cancer.
Two Indian natives have come to the rescue and wish to spare the others from suffering the same fate as the breast cancer victims, by developing a technology that screens the body for breast cancer in a cheaper, faster way and the earliest detection possible.
Called the Non-Invasive Risk Assessment with Machine-learning and Artificial Intelligence, or Niramai for short, the device uses a combination of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and cloud-based screening. Thanks to a patented Thermalytix technology, it takes high-resolution thermal images without the need for radiation.
Source: Dreamstime
If compared with traditional mammography, Niramai costs a lot lesser because it has no requirement for expensive equipment and experienced radiographers, making it an inaccessible measure for most women in India. This should somehow explain the statistics that one out of two women diagnosed with breast cancer dies within five years in India.
Niramai solves this problem as it provides early detection of tumors. Its co-founders Dr Geetha Manjunath and Nidhi Mathur say that it can detect tumors five years earlier than mammography or clinical exams.
Source: Niramai
Manish Singhal, founding partner of Pi Ventures, said, “Early detection is key to saving lives (of women diagnosed with breast cancer) and is enabled very well with the disruptive AI-based solution from Niramai.”
The startup has recently received seed funding led by Pi Ventures, with participation from Axilor Ventures, 500 Startups, Ankur Capital, and Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal.
“This investment will help us strengthen our IP portfolio, expand operations, and ensure our cancer screening tool is readily available for commercial use,” says Geetha.
Source: Tech in Asia
