Bengaluru-based startup leans on cancer-sniffing dogs and AI for early detection
Billy, Jessie and Banu are part of a team of beagles, labradors, Dutch shepherds and other dog breeds being trained by startup Dognosis to sniff out traces of cancer in human breath.
In a two-acre farm outside Bengaluru, India, a team of dogs - including beagles, labradors, and Dutch shepherds - work to detect early signs of cancer in human breath. These dogs, trained by startup Dognosis, are repurposing their natural sense of smell, usually utilized for identifying drugs or explosives, for low-cost health screening.
The two-year-old company aims to make early detection accessible to more people in India, where cancer prevalence is significant. Patients exhale into masks sent to the company's facility, and the dogs, exposed to the samples, use sensors and AI to interpret signals like the animals' movements, respiration, brain activity, and body language.
If the sample carries signs of cancer, the system marks it positive. Dognosis, backed by investors like Accel India and Caffeinated Capital, has raised $1.5 million and plans to process 1 million tests a year, expand its canine workforce to 30, and halve turnaround times to one week. The company is also preparing to launch an at-home, multi-cancer prescreening test in India next year. However, proving that the dogs' performance holds up outside controlled trials will be crucial.
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