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ZAWADI

Science

The signal, the method, and what we prove next.

Early-stage medtech. Clear claims only where evidence exists.

Evidence pathwayProductPublications
Concept render of ZAWADI reader and contact pad system.
Concept illustration — research prototype. Not a clinical result.

Science

Iron restriction leaves an early trace.

When iron is limited, zinc replaces iron in protoporphyrin — ZPP rises before haemoglobin falls.

  1. Iron-restricted erythropoiesis

    Supply of usable iron falls behind demand.

  2. Zinc replaces iron

    Zinc is incorporated into protoporphyrin IX instead.

  3. ZPP rises early

    A measurable shift appears while Hb is still normal.

  4. Haemoglobin drops later

    Anaemia is detected — often after the fact.

Concept render of ZAWADI contact pad sensor detail.
Concept illustration — research prototype. Not a clinical result.

Development-stage notice: ZAWADI is under active validation. Not a diagnostic substitute. Regulatory status: Research and development programme — not submitted for regulatory clearance and not offered for clinical diagnosis or commercial use.

Technology

Differential measurement at 407 nm and 425 nm.

Photoacoustic pulses isolate the ZPP-related signal from tissue background.

407 nm425 nmTissueabsorptionDifferential signaltime-of-flight gated→ ZPP estimate
Simplified schematic of the measurement approach. Absolute performance is the subject of the calibration work described in the validation roadmap.
Concept render of ZAWADI optical-acoustic sensing stack.
Concept illustration — research prototype. Not a clinical result.

Differential signal

407 vs 425 nm suppresses shared noise.

Depth gating

Time-of-flight selects the perfused layer.

Calibration

Mapped to ZPP via controlled reference data.
Concept render of ZAWADI contact pad macro.
Concept illustration — research prototype. Not a clinical result.
Concept render of ZAWADI research-prototype UI screen.
Concept illustration — research-prototype UI mock. Not a clinical result or measured data.

Roadmap

Validation in order.

Calibration curve

Reference ZPP range with repeatability.

Site comparison

Best anatomical placement in clinic settings.

Phase 1 package

Protocol, docs, and site readiness.

Deployment path

Start where screening already happens.

Rwanda ANC first, then expand across women's health and treatment monitoring.

  1. Beachhead

    Rwanda ANC

    ~330,000 antenatal care visits per year — a concentrated, routine screening touchpoint.

  2. Expand

    Community & adolescent screening

    Same reader, same consumable, new cohorts reached through existing frontline structures.

  3. Deepen

    Postpartum & chronic monitoring

    Repeatable measurement makes treatment response trackable over time.

  4. Scale

    Sub-Saharan Africa & South Asia

    Regions where iron deficiency burden and ANC infrastructure overlap most strongly.

Concept render of ZAWADI clinic kit flatlay.
Concept illustration — research prototype. Not a clinical result.

Defensibility

Method, algorithm, dataset.

Signal method

Blood-free differential ZPP measurement.

Algorithm

Calibration improves with each measurement.

Rwanda dataset

Longitudinal ANC evidence at scale.

Use of funds

$35k · 90-day de-risking sprint.

Calibration evidence, hardware iteration, and Phase 1 readiness — answering whether the signal is strong enough for human feasibility.

Optics + acoustic test rig

$10,500

Calibration materials + reference assays

$8,000

Prototype integration + disposables

$6,500

Data pipeline + calibration software

$3,500

Site/user testing + ethics/logistics

$4,000

Contingency

$2,500

Sprint deliverables

  • Working bench prototype
  • ZPP/haem calibration curve
  • Preferred anatomical site
  • Phase 1 readiness package