Twin Sisters Build ‘Digital X-Ray Glasses’ Prototype to Improve Health Care in South Africa
by Stacy Jackson

February 9, 2023

Twin Sisters Build ‘Digital X-Ray Glasses’ Prototype to Improve Health Care in South Africa

This dynamic duo saw progress through a different lens on their mission to improve the health care system.

South African twin sisters Matlhogonolo and Masego Mphahlele invented Digital X-Ray Glasses in an effort improve South Africa and the pileup within its system.

According to We Africa Preview, the duo’s innovative X-ray device allows X-ray scans to be taken as the device is capable of examining most areas of the human body.

The sisters came up with the idea in 2019 when a soccer teammate suffered an injury. After waiting hours for an X-ray, they thought of a quicker and more portable solution.

“After much thinking and deliberation, we came up with the innovation of Digital X-Ray Glasses. Just think, after a tough tackle in a rugby match, the medic could take a digital X-ray there and then and secure the players safety. This innovation could not only help the medical profession but also save lives,” the twins said.

News24 reported that the twins were on a mission to help other patients who had to endure extensive waits at hospitals or overcrowded clinics.

The sisters took four years developing a prototype with the help of two fellow University of Johannesburg students. Their Digital X-Ray Glasses, constructed using 3D printing, sends thermal images to a mobile device through an infrared chip and mini computer chip.

“The camera can only take infrared images to a mobile device. We want to do more research to better our idea,” they said about the glasses.

“In the future, we want the product to be able to work without using radiation…and to be able to distribute it to different local hospitals and clinics,” Matlhogonolo added.

The Mphahlele twins were praised for their invention by Red Bull in March 2022 after they shared their concept at the Red Bull Basement Global Final in Turkey, the brand’s competition for student innovators. The Digital X-Ray Glasses were named among the top 3 innovations over dozens of entries across 43 countries.


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