Galaxy Used Phones Transform into Medical Devices... Active in Vietnam and Morocco

Samsung Electronics Develops Digital Eye Tester Using Used Galaxy Phones

Using the I Like Anjeo camera locally in Morocco, we are providing eye examination services to patients with eye diseases.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] Used phone cameras are transforming into 'digital ophthalmoscopes' and gaining attention for their use in diagnosing fundus diseases in medically underserved countries.

Samsung Electronics is providing digital ophthalmoscopes developed using used Galaxy phones to Vietnam, India, Morocco, and Papua New Guinea. 1.1 billion people worldwide suffer from vision loss, and 90% of them are in medically underserved countries. The digital ophthalmoscope was developed in 2017 through collaboration between Samsung Electronics, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), and Yonsei Medical Center. It diagnoses various fundus (the part visible inside the eye when looking through the pupil) diseases that cause blindness. The digital ophthalmoscope uses Samsung Electronics’ used Galaxy smartphones. By combining the used Galaxy smartphone with ‘EyeLike’ (a digital ophthalmoscope jointly developed by Samsung and Yonsei Medical Center), fundus diagnosis is possible. Medical staff capture fundus images with the camera, and the artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm within the smartphone analyzes the photos to provide a preliminary diagnosis of eye diseases. Subsequently, ophthalmologists make the final diagnosis.

Samsung Electronics first supported the portable digital ophthalmoscope equipped with the ‘EyeLike’ platform in Vietnam in 2018. To date, over 20,000 people in Vietnam have been screened for fundus diseases using this device. Since last year, device support has expanded to Morocco, India, and Papua New Guinea. According to Samsung Electronics’ English newsroom, last year Samsung contributed to protecting the eye health of more than 3,000 patients in Morocco, India, and Papua New Guinea.

This initiative is part of Samsung Electronics’ resource circulation program called ‘Galaxy Upcycling.’ Samsung also uses recycled marine waste materials in Galaxy smartphone devices. Discarded fishing nets, known as ‘ghost nets,’ have been utilized in components of the Galaxy S22 series. These fishing nets, torn or tangled while used on fishing boats or fish farms and discarded into the sea, threaten marine life and damage the natural environment. They also generate large amounts of microplastics, ultimately harming the health of people who consume seafood.

Samsung Electronics plans to use recycled materials in all new Galaxy products by 2025 and apply eco-friendly measures from the product manufacturing stage, including eliminating plastic use. The use of marine waste will be expanded to all product lines of Samsung Electronics’ wireless business division, including tablet PCs and notebook computers, in the future.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.