Samsung Electronics to Measure Retinas of 150,000 Indians by Next Year Using Digital Refraction Devices

Galaxy Upcycling Using Secondhand Galaxy Phones

An eye disease examination scene at Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-sun] On the 13th, Samsung Electronics announced that to mark 'World Sight Day,' it will collaborate with four hospitals in India through 'Galaxy Upcycling,' which utilizes used Galaxy phones, to measure the fundus (the part visible when looking inside the eye through the pupil) of 150,000 people by the end of next year.

Since the program was implemented in India last year, approximately 5,000 patients have been measured using 200 devices so far.

Samsung Electronics' 'Galaxy Upcycling' is a project that converts used smartphones into Internet of Things (IoT) devices, launched in 2017 to promote resource utilization and a circular economy.

In particular, as part of Galaxy Upcycling, 'EYELIKE™,' which transforms used Galaxy phones into portable digital ophthalmic devices, was developed in 2017 in collaboration with the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, Yonsei Medical Center, and LabSD.

According to the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, approximately 1.1 billion people worldwide have visual impairments. Although 90% of vision loss can be prevented or treated early, it is a reality that proper examinations are difficult for those in blind spots of healthcare due to insufficient medical facilities.

To provide early diagnosis opportunities in medically underserved areas, Samsung Electronics has expanded support for digital ophthalmic devices born from Galaxy Upcycling, starting in Vietnam in 2018 and extending to India, Morocco, and Papua New Guinea last year.

The principle of the digital ophthalmic device implemented through Galaxy Upcycling is that when 'EYELIKE' is combined with a used Galaxy smartphone, fundus diagnosis is possible. Non-expert medical staff at eye health centers take fundus photos with the camera, and the artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm within the smartphone analyzes the images to provide a preliminary diagnosis of eye diseases.

Subsequently, ophthalmologists at secondary and tertiary medical institutions make the final diagnosis, confirming whether the patient's lesions are related to major blindness-causing diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, or macular degeneration. The diagnostic information is stored and analyzed in the app and server, which can be used as data to understand the status of eye health within the community.

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