Image-Based Sensor to Diagnose Malaria in Developing World

Sirish Shah, an engineering professor at the University of Alberta, describes how his team developed software sensors that have found use in industries ranging from polymers to oil sands. A sensor based on image-processing ideas significantly reduces bitumen losses in oil sands tailings ponds. Shah's team then found the same image-based sensor technology was able to identify malaria in blood cells. They are in the process of developing purpose-built image-processing techniques for reliable detection and diagnosis of many preventable infectious diseases, especially in the developing world.