Dr. Manu Prakash, PhD, member of the Core Leadership Team at CIGH, developed a robotic device that automatically diagnoses malaria in blood samples on microscope glass slides. A high-efficiency, battery/solar-operated, autonomous microscope with integrated artificial intelligence, “Octopi” and its complementary invention “Inkwell” can perform an “accurate diagnosis in minutes in the middle of nowhere with no other infrastructure,” Prakash said. Researchers from the Prakash lab hope their inventions can become a universal tool for diagnosing malaria, as well as other diseases — especially in rural settings. This includes tuberculosis, sickle cell anemia, sexually transmitted infections, parasites like leishmaniasis and schistosomiasis, and more. Learn more about the Prakash lab’s work below.