Low-cost, rapid, accurate, portable, heat-proof… These are just a few of the many boundary conditions Prof. Suman Chakraborty keeps in mind while designing for low-resource settings.

Inspired by the simple arts and crafts we do in primary school, he builds paper-based frugal diagnostics. He explores the deep science in everyday items. Tune in to hear how he invented pencil-drawn electrodes and microfluidic channels you can print in any office!

We also discuss the demand-supply gap in point-of-care devices, his recent push towards device-free testing, and his philosophy on keeping curiosity alive by pursuing simplicity of the mind.

References:

WHO India Health System Review (How Health Expenditures Drive Poverty)

Publication from Chakraborty Lab on Paper-and-Pencil Microfluidics