Daudo António Costa, an Electronic Engineering student at the Pedagogical University of Maputo, is developing a smart wristband capable of detecting and monitoring strokes, with the aim of saving lives and promoting well-being. According to the World Health Organization, around 17 million people suffer a stroke worldwide every year, and one in six will be affected by the disease during their lifetime.
This picture is also reflected in Mozambique, where hospitals such as the Central and Mavalane hospitals, in Maputo, record at least ten cases a day. Motivated by this reality and by personal experience, having had his grandfather, uncle and cousin diagnosed with stroke, Daudo decided to apply his engineering knowledge to create an accessory that can monitor and help control the disease.
In an interview with Folha de Maputo, Daudo said: “My grandfather, uncle and cousin were diagnosed with stroke. In hospitals, they receive more than six people a day with this disease. That led me to think about what I could do to help, so I began studying the parameters of engineering and medicine, realising that it was possible to develop something”.
The wristband Daudo is designing analyses vital signs emitted by the body to predict the possibility of an individual suffering a stroke, or to monitor those who have already been diagnosed, and can also alert relatives in an emergency. "People with this disease are often left helpless, and overcrowding in hospitals doesn’t help. An accessory that monitors their activity in real time and alerts relatives would be a great help", he explained.
To build the physical prototype of the wristband, Daudo needs 500,000 meticais, having established that the device is functional and viable. "We need small electronic components which, together, will do the monitoring and diagnosis. I have already spoken to specialists, and all of them confirmed the viability of the idea", he assured.
This is not the first technological solution presented by Daudo. In 2022, he developed a smart traffic light and an eco-friendly battery charged by solar energy.
