Call Us Now

+91 9606900005 / 04

For Enquiry

legacyiasacademy@gmail.com

What is CEREBO, the brain tool developed indigenously

Basics of the Device

  • Developer: Collaboration between ICMR, MDMS, AIIMS Bhopal, NIMHANS Bengaluru, and Bioscan Research.
  • Nature: Hand-held, portable, non-invasive tool.
  • Purpose: Early detection of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) → intracranial bleeding + edema.
  • Technology: Uses near-infrared spectroscopy + machine learning.
  • Output: Radiation-free, colour-coded results within 1 minute.
  • Safety: Suitable for infants, pregnant women, unskilled/paramedic use.

Relevance : GS II (Health – Healthcare Access, Affordable Technology) + GS III (Science & Tech – AI, Medical Innovation, Atmanirbhar Bharat/Make in India)

Importance of CEREBO

  • Accessibility: Designed for areas lacking CT/MRI (ambulances, rural clinics, trauma centres, disaster response units).
  • Affordability: Cost-effective, avoids expensive imaging.
  • Speed: Reduces time-to-diagnosis → critical in the “golden hour” for brain injuries.
  • Triage support: Helps decide which patients need urgent CT/MRI.
  • Global adoption: Potential use in military, disaster, and emergency healthcare systems.

Clinical & Regulatory Validation

  • Trials: Multi-centre clinical performance evaluation at leading trauma/neuro centres.
  • Evidence: Confirmed diagnostic accuracy, decision-making speed, integration feasibility.
  • Post-market surveillance: Positive feedback on adoption by frontline staff.
  • Health Technology Assessment: Recommends use in tertiary care for:
    • Faster CT scan access.
    • Optimised triage.
    • Reduced imaging costs.

Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

  • Definition: Brain dysfunction caused by sudden external trauma → mild (concussion) to severe.
  • Common causes:
    • Road traffic injuries: ~60%.
    • Falls: 20–25%.
    • Violence: ~10%.
  • Epidemiology (India):
    • 1.5–2 million injured annually.
    • ~1 million deaths per year.
    • Major cause of morbidity, mortality, disability, and socio-economic burden.
  • Traditional diagnosis:
    • Glasgow Coma Scale (subjective, error-prone).
    • Imaging (costly, needs infrastructure, not always accessible).
  • Complications: Permanent brain damage, cognitive impairments, emotional instability, higher neurodegenerative risk.

Why CEREBO is a Game-Changer

  • Bridges diagnostic gaps in rural & underserved areas.
  • Decentralises brain injury care → frontline workers can screen before reaching tertiary centres.
  • Reduces mortality by enabling early detection and timely intervention.
  • Supports universal health coverage goals (affordable, accessible, scalable tech).
  • Global relevance: Could be adopted by WHO emergency health kits, disaster relief operations, and military medical units.

Challenges / Limitations

  • Needs large-scale deployment funding.
  • Requires training modules for paramedics & unskilled users.
  • Potential risk of false positives/negatives in borderline cases.
  • Must integrate seamlessly into existing trauma-care pathways.

Way Forward

  • Scale-up production with Make in India & MedTech Mission.
  • Integrate with National Health Mission (NHM) & Ayushman Bharat emergency care.
  • Promote PPP collaborations for faster adoption.
  • Continuous post-market surveillance to refine accuracy.
  • Explore export potential as a low-cost diagnostic tool for LMICs (low- and middle-income countries).

September 2025
MTWTFSS
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930 
Categories