AI 'Lab-in-a-Bag' Brings Fast Disease Detection to Africa

Scientists at Imperial College London have developed a portable AI-powered diagnostic device called Lab-in-a-Bag, capable of detecting diseases like malaria, COVID-19, mpox, and influenza within 30 minutes. Powered by DragonFLy AI technology, the backpack-sized kit uses magnetic nanoparticles to process samples, displaying results through a simple colour-change system requiring no laboratory infrastructure. Field trials are currently underway in Ghana, The Gambia, Burkina Faso, Zambia, and Uganda. The battery or solar-powered device works in remote areas without electricity, uploads results to cloud platforms for disease surveillance, and has been tested in extreme conditions. Researchers are working to reduce costs for African healthcare markets.