Brandon Smith, the new co-lead of the Technology and Systems research theme at Cambridge Public Health, has been awarded an Idea Fund Award from The Prospectory to develop ‘Amulet’ – an ultra-low-cost wearable electronic health record designed for use in resource-constrained settings.
Amulet aims to provide a robust and scalable solution for medical record-keeping in regions with minimal health care infrastructure, including conflict zones and humanitarian crises. The device securely stores essential patient data, such as diagnoses, treatment histories, allergies, prescribed medications, and emergency contact details. Crucially, Amulet is accessible to health workers via mobile phones without reliance on cloud-based servers or stable internet connectivity, ensuring its functionality in even the most challenging environments.
With a background in both medicine and electronic engineering, Brandon has joined Cambridge Public Health to lead the Centre’s pillar on Technology and Systems. He is working closely with researchers in the global health theme to explore how cutting-edge innovations can improve health care provision for underserved populations in low and middle-income countries.
“I am thrilled to receive this funding and take Amulet forward” said Brandon “This is an exciting opportunity to create a working prototype and explore its potential to transform health care in low-resource settings.”
Amulet is further supported by the Centre for Global Equality through their Inclusive Innovation Cultivator programme and will feature in the upcoming Development iTeams projects, which focuses on sustainable innovation for the developing world.