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ICMR’s Handheld Brain Scanner – CEREBO

24 Aug 2025 GS 3 Science & Technology
ICMR’s Handheld Brain Scanner – CEREBO Click to view full image

About the Device

  • CEREBO: Portable, handheld, non-invasive diagnostic tool for traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

  • Technology: Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) + Machine Learning.

  • Radiation-free (safer than CT scans no ionizing radiation), colour-coded, cost-effective results.

  • Safe for infants and pregnant women.

  • Training: Usable by paramedics/unskilled staff with ~30 min training.

Utility

  • Detects intracranial bleeding & edema within 1 min.

  • Can be deployed in ambulances, rural clinics, trauma centres, disaster zones, military healthcare.

  • Overcomes limitations of:

    • Glasgow Coma Scale → subjective.

    • CT/MRI → costly, infrastructure-heavy, delayed access.

Development & Validation

  • Developed by:  ICMR’s Medical Device and Diagnostics Mission Secretariat, AIIMS Bhopal, NIMHANS Bengaluru, and Bioscan Research, has received clearance from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI)

  • Supported under mPRiDE scheme.

  • Passed clinical validation, regulatory approvals, feasibility studies.

The mPRiDE scheme (Product Ignition and Development Enabler) is an initiative under the Medical Device and Diagnostics Mission Secretariat (MDMS) of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) designed to accelerate the development and commercialization of medical device products for public use in India. It focuses on supporting experienced companies to scale up their medical device products by providing handholding support and an enabling ecosystem to foster local manufacturing and innovation

Significance

  • India has the highest incidence of head injuries globally.

    • 1 lakh deaths/year.

    • 1 million suffer serious head injuries annually.

    • 50% of deaths occur within 2 hours of injury.

  • Secondary brain injury (post-trauma progression) causes high mortality & disability → early detection crucial.

  • Device offers timely diagnosis, reduced cost, better outcomes.

Way Ahead

  • ICMR urging State governments to adopt and integrate in tertiary care, emergency & rural healthcare.

  • Potential for global adoption in military & emergency systems.



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