In a groundbreaking stride for global health innovation, Nigerian robotics and embedded systems engineer Kemisola Bolarinwa has developed a smart bra that can detect early signs of breast cancer in under 30 minutes.
The 2022 invention, which leverages ultrasound technology, was born from a deeply personal tragedy—Bolarinwa lost her mother to advanced-stage breast cancer in 2017. That devastating experience became the driving force behind her mission to revolutionize early detection.
In response, Bolarinwa founded Nextwear Technologies, Nigeria’s first wearable technology startup, focused on creating accessible medical solutions through smart clothing.
According to reporting by BBC Pidgin, the smart bra allows users to perform regular breast checks from the comfort of their own homes, with results easily transmitted to a mobile app that can be shared with healthcare professionals for diagnosis or follow-up.
The bra is specifically designed to bridge the gap in healthcare access, especially in underserved rural and low-income communities, where diagnostic resources are often limited or non-existent.
By reducing the dependency on hospital-based screenings, the innovation holds promise for early intervention—a critical factor in improving survival rates.
With breast cancer remaining the most common cancer among women worldwide and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Africa due to late diagnosis, Bolarinwa’s smart bra could mark a transformative moment for women’s health across the continent and beyond.
In the wake of the invention, the Obama Foundation praised Bolarinwa, noting that “the smart bra is unique in its wide accessibility to those in rural or low-income communities who cannot access health facilities for conventional tests.”
