Researchers develop 'SmartBra' for early cancer detection

Early detection of cancer is imperative to its successful treatment and researchers at the Ecole Polytechnique federale de Lausanne (EPFL) have developed a novel technology to help detect the tumour at its earliest stages.

EPFL students teamed up with a startup IcosaMed to develop a SmartBra using smart-clothing technology. As the official EPFL website notes, the SmartBra uses a non-invasive, painless method based on frequent ultrasound monitoring for detection.

The smart-clothing emits ultrasound waves to perform echography scans for potentially cancerous cells. The piezoelectric material makes the clothing comfortable to wear. If the SmartBra detects a suspicious mass of cells, it will alert the wearer.

The researchers plan to bring SmartBra to women in 2021. It will be initially sold to those diagnosed with cancer for routine monitoring, followed by those women who are predisposed to cancer.