Tech Expert Invents Smart Bra that Detects Early-Stage Breast Cancer

Summary: Kemisola Bolariwa, the founder and CEO of Nextwear Technologies, invented a smart bra that detects early-stage breast cancer before symptoms develop.

Motivated by the loss of her aunt to breast cancer in 2017 and subsequently, witnessing the pains and sufferings of many women from the disease, Kemisola Bolarinwa, the founder and chief executive officer of Nextwear Technologies, invented a smart bra to detect early-stage breast cancer before symptoms develop.

This smart bra is a nanotechnology device that uses ultrasound technology to identify potential tumours in 30 minutes. To detect lumps in the breast, the smart bra repurposes ultrasound technology into a compact form factor, shrinking an ultrasound machine to a wearable size. The device can be used at home, with results sent to a mobile app for simple sharing with healthcare professionals. It is known as the Smart Bra Cup Diagnostic Device. 

Although Kemisola developed the idea in 2017, it came to fruition in February 2022 when the official prototype was publicly unveiled, gaining international recognition. 

During her research, the genius inventor discovered that women often forget or do not know how to perform regular breast checks, while many women in rural and underserved communities in Africa lack affordable or local access to conventional diagnostic tools like mammograms. These situations intensify her goal to provide a portable and affordable way for women to monitor their health from home, subsequently reducing breast cancer mortality rates globally. 

In addition to her role as founder of a technology company, Kemisola currently serves as President of the Women in ICT Foundation, a non-profit organisation focused on empowering women and young girls through technology education, leadership development, and entrepreneurship. With over 14 years of experience in robotics and Embedded Systems Engineering, the trailblazer is recognised for her strong technical expertise and problem-solving abilities. 

Aside from being an inventor, Kemisola is a strong advocate for increasing female participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. She has over 10 years of professional experience and is recognised for her strong technical expertise and problem-solving abilities.

Additionally, she is the founder of the Nigeria Innovative Hardware Development Society (NIHDS), a national organisation committed to identifying, supporting, and nurturing young hardware innovators across Nigeria. Through the organisation, she has built a strong ecosystem for deep tech and hardware development, providing mentorship, resources, and platforms for young talents to thrive.

She holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering from the University of Ado-Ekiti, now known as Ekiti State University.