USA Africa Dialogue Series - Ten life-saving technologies for rural health care

Engineering research labs are churning out a solid line up of low-cost medical devices for health care in developing countries. The technology vacillates from high to low, like this HIV diagnostic device and this blood sample centrifuge built around parts stripped from an electric drill. This innovation surge fills a need, and just how big that need might be is under scrutiny now.

To make sense of the changing field, we asked Rebecca Richards-Kortum, the Stanley C. Moore Professor of Bioengineering at Rice University, to curate our list of 10 life-saving technologies for rural health care. Richards-Kortum founded and directs the Rice 360° Institute for Global Health Technologies. More than 300 students in the Rice 360° program have designed 40 new technologies and educational programs. The devices are in place in 14 countries, benefiting nearly 20,000 people.