Technology
Twins with a Vision
Looking through people's clothes with x-ray specs... It may sound like a 60s ad, but a pair of South African twins now hope to revolutionise medicine this way.
Sports injuries are bad enough as it is. The pain, the uncertainty at not knowing exactly what happened. Then the time spent in a crowded hospital. The hellish wait till you are called for your x-ray. Then waiting again. And then you finally get your results. Over 125 years after Wilhelm Röntgen discovered x-rays in 1895, you still have to lie down in a behemoth of a machine in a not all that fashionable (and heavy!) lead vest to have a broken bone diagnosed.
The Mphahlele sisters got to thinking about just that when they took a friend to the hospital in 2019, who had got injured playing football. “If only there was a device you could do an examination there and then, quickly and easily.” The idea for the x-ray spectacles was born.
X-ray spectacles have been on the market since the 1960s. But they are just simple optical illusions. Plastic lenses do indeed create an effect where you can, for example, see the inner part of the hand better than the exterior. But nobody can really use them to see under clothes, much less the skin. The only thing these gadgets have to do with actual x-rays is the name.
How they work
In order to generate them, you need a lot of energy and two basic pieces of equipment: an X-ray machine and a receptor. Electrons are rapidly accelerated within a tube and then slowed down again when an obstacle is put in their path. They lose energy in the process, in the form of x-rays, and are passed through the body and received on the other side by the receptor. A black-grey X-ray image is then produced, depending on the permeability of the body part.
We dream of all medical practitioners having glasses like these so that they can make a quick first diagnosis at any time.
Due to the technical complexity, X-ray machines are still heavy and awkward. South African student Matlhogonolo Mphahlele is sure of one thing, though. “We’ve spoken to numerous radiologists and done years of research. It will soon be possible to pack X-ray technology into a pair of glasses, maybe even within a couple of years. Technology and medicine keep developing.” There are already modern X-ray machines that weigh under four kilos. That is still too heavy to put on the end of your nose, though, but still an enormous step in the right direction when you remember that ten years ago the machines still weighed ten kilos and up.
X-Ray-Glasses transform every doctor into a superhero.
© Red Bull Basement
By “we” Matlhogonolo means herself and her twin sister, Masego. Having fallen just short in one innovation competition, they put the project on ice for a long time, but decided to revive it for Red Bull Basement. They have already developed a spectacle frame: a green prototype, colourful and flashy, with a touch of the superhero look about it. At first, they built a video camera and lights into the futuristic glasses in the place where the X-ray machine will eventually be.
The biggest question mark is in the science. That means that, for now, they are more or less depending on how quickly X-rays can be reduced to the desired size. When that happens, the twins will be ready. And the idea has all the makings of becoming a real project. Radiologists have confirmed to the sisters that the glasses can work once the technology is in place. Until that time comes, it is an idea, which is exactly what Red Bull Basement is all about.
Plans and dreams
“We dream of all medical practitioners having glasses like these so that they can make a quick first diagnosis at any time. The most important thing is to have an image within seconds,” says Matlhogonolo. She beams as she says so. You can see that she is fired up for the project. The twins were able to convince the national jury at Red Bull Basement with their idea and they were selected from almost 100 participants. In the global final in late March, the twin-team went up against 43 other finalists from around the world and even made it into the top four. In the last few months, the sisters have been mentored in developing the project further by international experts. “That really helped us develop our prototype more. It was a wonderful experience."
Because of this big „what if..."-scenario, the twins are now also focusing on another technology for their glasses: infrared radiation. A solution that already fits into the prototype and which they showcased at their final pitch. Although this doesn't allow you to see bones, it can help medical professionals to properly see blood vessels.
Students for a better future
The aim of Red Bull Basement is to support young students in turning their ideas into reality and to use technology to make a positive contribution to the world. The focus is on making contacts, inspiring people and reflecting on the status quo in order to drive positive change in society.
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