Innovations in International Health
Encyclopedia
Innovations in International Health (IIH) is an innovation platform that facilitates multidisciplinary research to develop medical technologies for developing world settings. Based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, IIH's mission is to accelerate the development of appropriate and affordable health technologies by facilitating collaboration between researchers, users and health practitioners around the world.
IIH has a spin-off course at MIT
D-Lab called D-Lab Health, an interdisciplinary global health design and engineering course. Students learn about major global health challenges impacting the developing world and learn a set of design and prototyping tools to develop appropriate technologies to address these challenges. Students work closely with IIH partners CARE and CIES in Nicaragua to gain user feedback during the prototyping process. Projects from D-Lab Health include Ambuzap, BabyTracker, GlucoTank, Nebaul, and the POP bandage.
and Aamir Khan and is directed by José Gómez-Márquez. Its first meeting brought together 12 investigators from 6 countries. IIH has a growing portfolio of inventions and has launched devices and research studies in the United States, Nicaragua, Honduras, Peru, Tanzania, India and Pakistan.
IIH has physical facilities, called H-Labs, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, the InterActive Research and Development headquarters in Karachi, Pakistan, and the Nicaraguan Center for Investigational Health Sciences in Managua.
IIH seeks to connect researchers around the world with several collaborative research tools, including a member-based social networking site, Collaboratorium (a graphical user interface that maps out fields of research and professional practice), Global Health Data Mining (statistical tools that identify areas of need in the realm of global health), and physical collaboration through conferences and meet-ups.
Some technologies under development at IIH include:
’s Young Innovators Under 35 issue. X out TB was profiled in an article by The Economist
newspaper's Technology Monitor. Gómez-Márquez has won MIT's IDEAS Competition
three times. (One of the winning inventions was XoutTB). The solar autoclave was lauded by former President Jimmy Carter
. and featured by the World Health Organization
in their Call for Innovative Technologies that Address Global Health Concerns. Cool Comply recently won a Harvard Catalyst Pilot Grant.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
, IIH's mission is to accelerate the development of appropriate and affordable health technologies by facilitating collaboration between researchers, users and health practitioners around the world.
IIH has a spin-off course at MIT
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
D-Lab called D-Lab Health, an interdisciplinary global health design and engineering course. Students learn about major global health challenges impacting the developing world and learn a set of design and prototyping tools to develop appropriate technologies to address these challenges. Students work closely with IIH partners CARE and CIES in Nicaragua to gain user feedback during the prototyping process. Projects from D-Lab Health include Ambuzap, BabyTracker, GlucoTank, Nebaul, and the POP bandage.
History
IIH was founded in the summer of 2007 by Amy SmithAmy B. Smith
Amy Smith is an American inventor, educator, and founder of at . She works to develop technologies and build creative capacity internationally.-Early life and education:...
and Aamir Khan and is directed by José Gómez-Márquez. Its first meeting brought together 12 investigators from 6 countries. IIH has a growing portfolio of inventions and has launched devices and research studies in the United States, Nicaragua, Honduras, Peru, Tanzania, India and Pakistan.
IIH has physical facilities, called H-Labs, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
, the InterActive Research and Development headquarters in Karachi, Pakistan, and the Nicaraguan Center for Investigational Health Sciences in Managua.
Community
IIH's community includes scientists, health care workers, NGOs, international aid officials, public health researchers, businesspeople, and other partners from a wide range of disciplines. They work in twelve R&D sites worldwide in fifteen technology projects across seven health fields.IIH seeks to connect researchers around the world with several collaborative research tools, including a member-based social networking site, Collaboratorium (a graphical user interface that maps out fields of research and professional practice), Global Health Data Mining (statistical tools that identify areas of need in the realm of global health), and physical collaboration through conferences and meet-ups.
Technologies
The IIH Accelerated Product Development (APD) framework turns research ideas into hands-on projects that involve clinical feasibility studies and trials. The APD also provides assistance in funding.Some technologies under development at IIH include:
- The Vaccine Wheel: a paper craft application that gives parents an interactive way to track their children's immunizations.
- PortaTherm: a portable incubator that is light and affordable and can be used where electricity is unavailable and unreliable.
- Disposable Dermatomes: simplified, affordable dermatomes that use plastic cartridges as motors and regular razor blades for cutting.
- RespiRescue: a stand-alone emergency unit that treats sudden high-risk asthma attacks in remote areas far from emergency medical care.
- GlucoVend: a self-service kiosk for patients to check glucose levels and buy glucose pills if necessary.
- XoutTB: a system of ensuring adherence to tuberculosis medications using text messages and diagnostics. A trial of X Out TB was launched in Karachi, Pakistan in 2009.
- Solar autoclaveAutoclaveAn autoclave is an instrument used to sterilize equipment and supplies by subjecting them to high pressure saturated steam at 121 °C for around 15–20 minutes depending on the size of the load and the contents. It was invented by Charles Chamberland in 1879, although a precursor known as the...
: a solar-powered autoclave for sterilizing medical equipment. - MEDIKit: a series of prototyping kits for medical professionals in developing countries which allow them to build and modify their own appropriate medical devices. Kit themes include drug delivery, diagnostics, microfluidics, vital signs, surgical instrumentation and prosthetics.
- Cool Comply: A solar powered refrigeration device used to store medication and monitor adherence for MDR-TB patients.
Awards and Recognition
IIH researchers and projects have won several awards and have been recognized internationally by renowned publications and innovation- and health-oriented organizations. In 2009, Program Director José Gómez-Márquez was recognized as Humanitarian of the Year by Technology ReviewTechnology Review
Technology Review is a magazine published by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It was founded in 1899 as "The Technology Review", and was re-launched without the "The" in its name on April 23, 1998 under then publisher R. Bruce Journey...
’s Young Innovators Under 35 issue. X out TB was profiled in an article by The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
newspaper's Technology Monitor. Gómez-Márquez has won MIT's IDEAS Competition
Traditions and student activities at MIT
The traditions and student activities at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology encompass hundreds of student activities, organizations, and athletics that contribute to MIT's distinct culture.-Traditions:...
three times. (One of the winning inventions was XoutTB). The solar autoclave was lauded by former President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
. and featured by the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
in their Call for Innovative Technologies that Address Global Health Concerns. Cool Comply recently won a Harvard Catalyst Pilot Grant.
External links
- Innovations in International Health
- IIH Blog
- MIT D-Lab
- Amy SmithAmy B. SmithAmy Smith is an American inventor, educator, and founder of at . She works to develop technologies and build creative capacity internationally.-Early life and education:...