On April 28, 2011, The Gates Foundation announced this device as one of eighty-nine Grand Challenges Explorations Round 6 winners. This means that Sarvazyan and her team have been awarded a $100,000 grant for their innovative, early-stage research project in the category of maternal and infant health.
As of November 28, 2011, the Body Hydration Monitor is undergoing clinical trials to test its ability to assess changes in hydration status. The primary completion date is set for November 2013. More information about the trial can be found here
Dehydration is one of the leading causes of infant mortality in the developing world. A hand-held, ultrasonic device that measures water content in the soft tissue of newborns holds potential for diagnosing dehydration in infants. This innovative technology is being developed by Noune Sarvazyan and her team at Artann Laboratories in the U.S. Sarvazyan initially published research on ultrasonic soft tissue measurement in the context of sports medicine for monitoring total body hydration. The application of this technology to newborn dehydration diagnosis is a testament to the role that cutting edge research can play in health care in the developing world.
