Last Updated: 03/03/2026
Low-cost malaria diagnostic system using mobile devices
Objectives
This project proposes the development of a low-cost malaria diagnosis system using mobile devices, where segmentation techniques, digital image processing and convolutional neural networks will be applied to perform cell counting, estimation of parasitemia and classification of Plasmodium parasites in the species P. falciparum and P. vivax (the most common in Brazil) in the trophozoite phase.
According to the World Health Organization (2017), malaria is one of the infectious diseases that cause the most lethality in the world, especially in the sub-Saharan Africa region, while in Brazil the occurrence of cases is more frequent in the Amazon region. In order to carry out a diagnosis of malaria, it is essential to have trained technicians with experience in identifying the species and stages of the disease, a crucial part in defining the ideal dosages for administering medication to patients. This project also proposes the creation of a prototype with 3D parts and electronic automation to automatically scan and capture images on blood slides, and integrate it into a mobile system (smartphone or tablet) and carry out the diagnosis in loco, without the need to change microscopic equipment, thus acquiescing to the premise of low cost.
Jan 2015
Related Resources
