The Humanitarian Technology Trust launches to bring life-saving technology to underserved communities worldwide, starting with support for the OpenFlexure project.
A fleet of OpenFlexure microscopes at the University of Michigan
Cancer and malaria remain among the world’s deadliest diseases, causing millions of deaths per year. Yet, both are far more treatable when caught early - a process that depends on access to essential equipment like microscopes. Microscopy is a key tool in healthcare, and is the gold standard for the diagnosis of malaria and many cancers. In much of the world, however, such equipment is scarce, unreliable, or entirely unavailable.
The Humanitarian Technology Trust, a newly launched charity, is working to change this. Its first mission is to dramatically expand global access to reliable diagnostics by supporting the development and global production of the OpenFlexure Microscope. Developed through a research collaboration between the Universities of Bath and Glasgow, this digital robotic microscope is designed to be built and maintained anywhere in the world.
Across Europe and North America, diagnostics are moving towards automated digital microscopy, but this isn’t a feasible solution everywhere. Many regions continue to rely on manual pathology, causing a global divide that will expand with the development of digital tools such as AI. Attempting to address this divide by donating such equipment has proven ineffective, with the World Health Organisation estimating that only 10-30% of donated medical equipment in sub-Saharan Africa is ever put into active service. For diagnostic tools to be sustainable globally, they must be locally manufacturable, serviceable, and able to function without reliable power or infrastructure. The OpenFlexure Microscope, designed in collaboration with engineers, researchers, and pathologists around the world, does exactly that.
“For the past 8 years OpenFlexure has worked with partners around the globe to create a high quality diagnostic tool that really can be made anywhere.” said Dr Julian Stirling, Chief Executive of the Humanitarian Technology Trust. “The Trust has been founded to support the project to move from building microscopes one-by-one, to enabling regulated production at scale around the world.”
Across underserved regions of the world, the diagnostic challenges vary significantly, but one theme is ever present: the need for diagnosis at the point of care. In one cancer clinic in southern Rwanda, patients with complex cases are required to travel across the country by bus to the north of the country for diagnosis. This delays diagnosis for the patient, and causes them to be away from their family, home and job while awaiting testing. This also prevents pathologists at the southern clinic from developing new skills and gaining experience, as the ultimate diagnosis is never communicated back to them. This clinic now uses an OpenFlexure Microscope to collect digital scans of samples, which are then used for training and remote consultancy.
An OpenFlexure Microscope in a clinic in southern Rwanda
In Brazil, rural cancer diagnosis relies on trucks that can travel for weeks at a time though the expansive rainforest, collecting potentially cancerous biopsies, and returning them to central hospital hubs for processing and diagnosis. Patients are often waiting weeks for results, as the backlog of samples at these hubs continues to grow. A new trial will test the suitability of the OpenFlexure Microscope to be deployed in these trucks, allowing timely diagnosis to be provided in rural settings In both cases, and thousands of similar applications around the world, full deployment of the OpenFlexure Microscope would make it much easier and faster for patients to receive support, and improve their chances of early diagnosis and survival.
The OpenFlexure Microscope is an open-source, high-performance robotic microscope, supported by a global community. All designs for the microscope are freely available, anyone can build or modify the Microscope, using a combination of 3D printed components and readily available off-the-shelf parts. It has already been built and used in over 65 countries across the world, and supported research in environments as diverse as the rainforests in Panama, and the Antarctic sea ice.
In 2024, the World Health Organisation recommended the OpenFlexure Microscope in its report on Innovative Healthcare Technologies for Low-resource Settings. Studies have been published by several groups worldwide, demonstrating the efficacy of the OpenFlexure Microscope in imaging cancer, malaria, tuberculosis, rheumatic heart disease and dysplasia. While the OpenFlexure Microscope is a proven research tool and has demonstrated potential for use in pathology, more work is needed for it to be ready for routine diagnostic use. Clinicians need to be able to buy a microscope suitable for their settings, with the confidence that it was well built, and will be supported with local expertise when needed.
“We know that the OpenFlexure Microscope can be built anywhere, but clinicians shouldn’t be responsible for assembling their own equipment.” added Dr Stirling. “The best way to ensure that equipment is context appropriate and receives regular maintenance is for it to be built locally, by engineers with the required expertise.”
The components of an OpenFlexure Microscope before assembly
The Humanitarian Technology Trust has a bold vision for local production. The Trust’s model is not to own or control any manufacturing. Instead, it is working with local entrepreneurs across the world, to enable them to produce lifesaving products from technology that is unrestricted by patents and licensing. The OpenFlexure Microscope is a leading example of technology developed with this ethos. By nurturing a network of manufacturers, and supporting them to obtain diagnostic device certification, the Humanitarian Technology Trust is supporting underserved regions to take control of their own healthcare, improving access to cutting-edge diagnostics, and ultimately saving lives.
“Almost all technology is open source.” said Dr Adrian Bowyer, Chair of Trustees at the Humanitarian Technology Trust. “Nobody can patent the idea of a teaspoon or motor car. But almost all up-to-date technology is imprisoned behind the walls of intellectual-property protection. The intention behind open-source hardware is to work outside those walls, allowing anyone freely to develop and to use new technical innovations immediately they are created.”
The Humanitarian Technology Trust is raising funds to support its work. It welcomes both financial donations and in-kind contributions - whether that’s specialist skills, technology partnerships, or other forms of practical support. Such contributions can empower local communities to manufacture and maintain their own diagnostic tools, creating more equitable and resilient health care. Here’s how you can make a difference:
- Donate. Every contribution helps us support local production and enable OpenFlexure Microscopes to be where they are needed most. Donate to us at https://www.goodhub.com/go/humanitarian-technology-trust.
- Partner With Us. We welcome collaborations with manufacturers, healthcare providers, researchers, and donors. Get in touch with us at contact@httrust.org.
- Spread the Word. Help us raise awareness by sharing our mission with your networks. Find out more about us at https://httrust.org/.
About the Humanitarian Technology Trust
The Humanitarian Technology Trust (registered charity number 1212197) is a UK-based charity focused on advancing open-source humanitarian technology through local manufacturing. It believes that empowering local manufacturers is the best way to ensure life-saving technologies reach the communities that need them most