Aug. 24 : A team of engineers from Michigan State University has created a medical diagnosis system, which will help axe the cost of screening for a variety of medical problems.

The innovative medical device is a result of the efforts of Assistant Professor Tongtong Li, Joe Hines, Janelle Shane, Kevin Scheel, Thomas Casey and Kurtis Hessler, as well as several students from China and Italy.

The researchers say that their device will address the issue of affordable health care in China, where health care costs are major contributors to poverty.

Although China’s health care system is in a state of reform, lack of health insurance, especially in rural areas, prevent many Chinese people from seeking medical care.

A number of diagnostic functions-such as blood pressure, blood oxygen saturation, temperature, glucose level and electrocardiogram-are performed by the device.

Available for free use in rural hospital lobbies, the device is so safe that patients can even operate it on their own.

For their originality and quality of product, the design team has been selected among 30 finalists for the Mondialogo Engineering Award 2007.

The five-member team was at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim, Germany, nominated to proceed to the finals of the worldwide engineering contest by DaimlerChrysler and UNESCO.

The final competition will take place in December in Mumbai, India, where the best will be honoured with the Engineering Award.

A total of 3,200 students of engineering sciences from 89 countries had registered for the second edition of the Engineering Award. (ANI)