At the heart of every successful innovation lies a story of inspiration, resilience, and a desire to solve critical problems. Medblue Innovations, an NSRCEL-incubated startup, embodies this spirit by addressing a life-threatening condition that affects millions of newborns worldwide: neonatal jaundice. Their flagship product, BiliSURE, is setting a new benchmark in affordable, instant, and accurate diagnostics. Here’s a deep dive into their journey and technology. 

The Inspiration Behind Medblue Innovations 

For Medblue Innovations, the journey began during a clinical immersion at the Center for Healthcare Entrepreneurship (CfHE), IIT Hyderabad. Witnessing newborns struggling with complications linked to untreated neonatal jaundice was a pivotal moment for the team. 

“Despite advancements in treatment, doctors consistently highlighted the lack of an affordable, instant diagnostic test for jaundice. Such a test could save critical time in initiating treatment and prevent severe outcomes like neural disorders,” shares the Medblue team. This insight led to the vision of creating BiliSURE—a solution that promises to make jaundice detection accessible, reliable, and affordable. 

According to a study, neonatal jaundice is a prevalent condition, affecting approximately 60% of term and 80% of preterm infants in the first week of life.  

As per NHS, in India this translates to a significant number of newborns each year. If left untreated, severe jaundice can lead to kernicterus, a form of brain damage resulting from very high levels of bilirubin.  

Early detection and treatment are crucial to prevent such serious complications. 

Medblue Innovations addresses this critical need with Bilisure, a non-invasive, AI-powered diagnostic device designed for early detection of neonatal jaundice. Utilizing advanced spectral analysis, Bilisure provides real-time, accurate bilirubin measurements without the need for invasive blood tests. Its portability and affordability make it particularly suitable for deployment in resource-limited settings, ensuring timely intervention and reducing the risk of severe complications associated with untreated jaundice. 

By facilitating early diagnosis and treatment, Bilisure plays a vital role in safeguarding the neurological health of newborns, thereby contributing to improved long-term developmental outcomes. 

What Makes BiliSURE Unique? 

The bilirubinometers currently available on the market face a significant challenge: skin-tone bias. Bilirubin, a key indicator of jaundice, has a similar absorption spectrum to melanin, the pigment that determines skin tone. 

BiliSURE addresses this challenge head-on through robust datasets and AI-driven precision, ensuring accurate and skin-tone-independent results. By designing the entire technology stack from scratch, the team significantly reduced costs, making the device both affordable and highly effective.  

Advanced Features Powering BiliSURE 

BiliSURE’s self-learning algorithm adapts to variations in skin tone and texture, ensuring unbiased and more reliable results for every newborn. The device also employs a multi-channel detector that uses over eight wavelengths to analyze molecules such as melanin, hemoglobin, and fat tissues. This multi-dimensional approach enhances the precision and reliability of bilirubin estimation, setting BiliSURE apart from traditional bilirubinometers. 

Insights from Validation Studies 

With over 600 babies and 5,000+ observations in validation studies, key insights emerged that guided the device’s development. Neonatal jaundice often manifests 24-48 hours after birth, and many newborns are discharged by this time, leading to high rehospitalization rates. BiliSURE bridges this critical gap by providing more accurate diagnostics at discharge, significantly reducing the risk of rehospitalization. Additionally, the economic burden of jaundice treatment in rural areas became evident, with mild cases costing over ₹25,000 and severe cases escalating to ₹10-15 lakhs for families or sponsoring agencies.  

Real-World Deployment and Feedback 

BiliSURE has already made its mark in three clinical settings, where it has received positive feedback for its functionality, workflow integration, and user-friendly aesthetics. Medblue has initiated studies in the Middle East and Southeast Asia to expand its reach and cater to larger populations.

Partnerships with Hospitals and NGOs 

Currently, three hospitals- one private and two government-run—are actively using BiliSURE, alongside five clinical settings that participated in its validation. These partnerships have been instrumental in refining the device to meet real-world needs. Collaborations with sponsoring agencies and NGOs ensure that BiliSURE reaches underserved regions, making neonatal jaundice detection accessible to families in need. 

As the team continues to expand its reach and impact, their story reminds us that innovation isn’t just about technology- it’s about empathy, perseverance, and a relentless drive to improve lives.