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We had temporary problems searching for web pages. Search again for “How a Children’s Toy Could Help Fight Malaria” by Jason Daley One of the most basic and necessary pieces of equipment in a medical lab is a centrifuge. Often bulky and expensive, this device (in the most simple terms) spins things. And spinning things like blood can separate out its components, allowing doctors to diagnose diseases like malaria. But the lack of electricity and resources in rural regions around the world means no centrifuge. Now, a simple new 20-cent gadget could change all that, and it's based on an unusual source of inspiration: the whirligig. "There are more than a billion people around the world who have no infrastructure, no roads, no electricity," says Manu Prakash, a physical biologist at Stanford and inventor of the new gadget. When he visited Uganda in 2013 he found that clinics either did not have centrifuges or didn't have the juice to power them. “One clinic used its broken centrifuge as a doorstop,” Prakash tells Devin Powell at Nature. "I realized that if we wanted to solve a critical problem like malaria diagnosis, we needed to design a human-powered centrifuge that costs less than a cup of coffee,” Prakash says in a press release. When he returned to Stanford, Parkash began brainstorming ideas with one of his post-docs, Saad Bhamla, examining at all sorts of spinning things, reports Madeline K. Sofia at NPR. They quickly began focusing on old-school, preindustrial toys like yo-yos and whirligigs. “One night I was playing with a b

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ackyard whirligig with my son,” Prakash recalls. “And I thought, ‘This is a great way to spin something.’”

The duo eventually developed a device called the "Paperfuge," which utilizes the simple mechanics of a whirligig to create a cost-effective, human-powered centrifuge. Made primarily from paper and a few additional components, the Paperfuge can achieve speeds of over 125,000 RPM, enough to separate plasma from blood samples in under a minute. This rapid spinning allows for effective malaria diagnosis by enabling healthcare workers to identify parasites without needing expensive equipment or electricity.

The Paperfuge not only provides an essential diagnostic tool but also addresses accessibility issues in rural health care. Prakash’s invention emphasizes the importance of innovation in overcoming logistical challenges, transforming an ancient toy into a crucial tool in the fight against diseases like malaria. By making this tool affordable and easy to use, it supports health initiatives in areas lacking sophisticated medical infrastructure, potentially saving countless lives.

Prakash and Bhamla have shared their design openly, inviting others to replicate and distribute the device. This initiative signals a broader movement towards using simple, effective solutions to tackle persistent health challenges in underserved populations, illustrating that sometimes the simplest ideas can lead to significant advancements in public health.