CHENNAI – This World Sight Day, Samsung’s Galaxy Upcycling program has set a target of screening 150,000 individuals in India for eye diseases using the unique EYELIKE™ Fundus Camera by the end of 2023.
As part of the Galaxy Upcycling program, Samsung is giving new life to older Galaxy devices to reduce electronic waste and enable greater access to ophthalmic health care in underserved communities.
Globally, 1.1 billion people suffer from vision loss, 90% of who live in low- and middle-income countries and lack access to affordable and quality eye health care. To address this, Samsung has partnered with the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), Yonsei University Health System (YUHS) and Lab SD, Inc. to transform old and unused Galaxy technology into medical diagnosis cameras called EYELIKE™ fundus cameras. This device allows both medical and non-medical professionals to screen patients for conditions that may lead to blindness.
Through programs like Galaxy Upcycling, Samsung is not only providing innovative technologies that reshape our experiences with the world, but is also empowering consumers to adopt more environmentally-conscious lifestyles.
To diagnose patients, the program has partnered with four eye hospitals – Sitapur Eye Hospital in Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh, Aravind Eye Hospital in Pondicherry, Guruhasti Chikitsalya in Jodhpur, Rajasthan and Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital in New Delhi to set up eye care camps and use the devices in vision centers, vans and base hospitals across the country. So far, Samsung has upcycled nearly 200 units of second hand Galaxy smartphones and distributed EYELIKE™ Fundus Cameras to partners in India.
An older Galaxy smartphone becomes the brain of the EYELIKE™ handheld fundus camera, capturing images while connected to a lens attachment for enhanced fundus diagnosis.
The Galaxy device then utilizes an artificial intelligence algorithm to analyze and diagnose the images for ophthalmic diseases. The device connects to an app that accurately captures patient data and suggests a treatment regimen at a fraction of the cost of commercial instruments. The unique and affordable diagnosis camera can screen patients for conditions that may lead to blindness, including diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration.
“At Samsung, we believe in harnessing technology to make a positive impact on society. Programs such as Galaxy Upcycling have helped us in transforming lives through the power of innovation. With the EYELIKE™ Fundus Camera, our partners have been able to provide quality eye screening to patients across India. We are also proud that engineers at Samsung R&D Institute, Bangalore have worked on the EYELIKE™ platform alongside IAPB, YUHS and LabSD who have developed the lens attachment,” said Mohan Rao Goli, CTO, Samsung R&D Institute, Bangalore.
Since the start of the program in India, the four partners have screened around 5,000 patients for eye diseases. Partners point out that the EYELIKE™ device is easy to use, requires less training, is portable and guarantees a high-quality image. It allows for easy identification of the optic nerve, macular and vessels. With these benefits the partners have been able to help patients in rural areas where access to ophthalmic health care is limited.
Engineers at the Samsung R&D Institute Bangalore, which is Samsung’s largest R&D centre outside Korea, were involved in developing the Fundus image capture mechanism, the AI-based processing algorithm, the intuitive UI and server-related operations in the EYELIKE™ application. The EYELIKE™ platform scans retinal images and uses an accurate AI-based algorithm powered by the computational capabilities of these phones to detect diseases in the retinal images and classify them as normal or abnormal.
“IAPB is proud of our continued partnership with Samsung and LabSD on the EYELIKE™ fundus camera. Our work highlights the importance of embracing cross-sector collaboration in building a better future for all. As World Sight Day approaches, we are reminded that delivering on the 2030 IN SIGHT strategy means engaging with new technologies to accelerate progress,”said Drew Keys, Western Pacific Regional Manager, IAPB.
“EYELIKE™ is the result of a collaboration between leaders in the technology and healthcare industries with the mutual goal of bridging barriers to accessible and affordable eye care. By expanding our partnerships, we are advancing the three main components of the 2030 IN SIGHT strategy – elevate, integrate, and activate – to make the platform sustainable and scalable,”said Holden Yoon Seung Kim, CEO, LabSD, Inc.
Through this unique and cost-effective solution, Samsung is also helping underserved populations across Vietnam, Morocco and Papua New Guinea.
