A simple smartphone, armed with an intelligent application, is transforming the way we measure children’s growth and assess their nutritional health.

This innovative approach, developed by the Raj Reddy Center for Technology and Society (RCTS) at the International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT-Hyderabad), uses computer vision to analyse images captured by a smartphone camera. The app can accurately determine the child’s height and weight by taking two photos – one of the child standing against a wall with a height chart and another of the weighing scale readout.

These measurements are then compared against standard growth charts to identify signs of malnutrition, such as stunting (low height for age) or wasting (low weight for height). The app even sends mobile alerts to parents and local health officials, enabling timely intervention and care.

The tool has been developed for i-Saksham, an NGO located in Bihar, to support its community engagement programme that trains high school-educated women in leadership and gender issues. These women, known as ‘edu-leaders,’ play a crucial role in mobilising out-of-school children and providing social, emotional and life skills training to children in schools and anganwadi.

Easing workload

Arjun Rajasekar, an applied researcher with RCTS, felt that an automated data entry process significantly reduces the subjectivity element, while easing the workload on the workers. It also equips them with an auditing feature, making it much more easier for them.

The beauty of this solution lies in its simplicity and accessibility. It eliminates the need for specialised equipment or extensive training, making it ideal for use in resource-limited settings like rural anganwadi centres. Moreover, by automating the data collection process, it reduces human error and improves the overall quality of data.

Game changer

This smartphone-based solution is not just a technological marvel; it’s a potential game changer in the fight against child malnutrition. By providing a quick, accurate and non-invasive method for growth assessment, it empowers healthcare workers to identify at-risk children early and provide them with the necessary support.

The idea is to address the current problems that confront the workers – the challenges in manually measuring growth parameters. This will be accomplished with minimal to no additional hardware requirement other than a smartphone. The scientists will make it available in English and Hindi languages. A 3D version is also being planned.

The project, backed by corporate funding, is currently in its pilot phase. As it continues to evolve and improve, it promises to revolutionise child healthcare in India and beyond. 

Related Topics