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Kanpur, August 7, 2024 – The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur has announced the transfer of its innovative, non-invasive oral cancer detection device, ‘Munh Parikshak,’ to the industry. This strategic move is set to facilitate the widespread adoption and commercial success of the technology, marking a significant milestone in the fight against oral cancer.
The device, developed by Prof. Jayant Kumar Singh and his team from the Department of Chemical Engineering, was transferred to Scangenie Scientific following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The unique technology behind ‘Munh Parikshak’ is designed to make oral cancer detection accessible, efficient, and user-friendly.
“‘Munh Parikshak’ is a portable device equipped with white and fluorescent light sources that wirelessly connect to smartphones, tablets, and iPads,” said IIT Kanpur. The device features a built-in power backup, stores health history for tracking, and provides instant oral health reports.
Utilizing special lights and a camera, ‘Munh Parikshak’ examines the mouth and analyzes images to categorize them as normal, pre-cancerous, or cancerous. The results are instantly displayed on a smartphone app and stored on cloud servers for continuous updates, making it ideal for self-testing. The device offers quick, painless screening with 90 percent accuracy in clinical settings, is safe, radiation-free, and does not require any additional chemicals or processes.
Prof. Tarun Gupta, Dean of Research and Development at IIT Kanpur, highlighted the importance of this milestone, stating, “The signing of the MoU with Scangenie Scientific marks a significant step in our mission to transition research and development into commercially viable products. This MoU aims to effectively market our invention within the healthcare sector, making it affordable and beneficial to everyone.”
Oral cancer remains a significant global health challenge, particularly in India, where it accounts for up to 40 percent of cancer cases. The economic and clinical burden of oral cancer underscores the urgent need for early detection tools. ‘Munh Parikshak’ aims to address this need by providing an affordable, non-invasive, and user-friendly diagnostic tool for widespread screening.
Early detection of oral cancer is crucial to reducing morbidity and mortality, and IIT Kanpur’s innovation represents a vital advancement in making effective screening accessible to a broader population. The collaboration with Scangenie Scientific is expected to accelerate the commercial availability of ‘Munh Parikshak,’ thereby enhancing early detection efforts and improving health outcomes.
