SPOT CHECK

What it does

Identifying melanoma can be difficult. SPOT CHECK combines total body photography with a digital dermatoscope in a single, harmonious tool– scanning the entire body to identify & track suspicious spots, determining risk using an AI that gets smarter with time.

Your inspiration

More New Zealanders die from melanoma than on our roads. Early diagnosis is essential to survival, but current methods of personal detection are simple self-checking processes. This requires users to physically monitor changes to their own skin. What struck me as interesting, was melanomas visibility– presenting itself on the skin. The problem was not being able see it, but discern it. It was the visibility of melanoma that ultimately inspired my solution. With the advent of advanced cameras, depth sensors and AI in personal devices, I saw an opportunity to combine these technologies and apply them for skin cancer.

How it works


SPOT CHECK works by taking images of the bodies skin and providing them to the artificial intelligence. The job of the AI is twofold: 1. Compare the user images against a library with existing skin cancers, to identify suspicious spots; 2. Store and compare new scans against past, to track changes on the skin. For the AI to successfully work, SPOT CHECK needs to provide clean and consistent images. To do so, the system begins with full-body scanning– streaming the three cameras simultaneously to surveil and track suspicious spots. If the AI deems an area suspicious, it will notify users to perform micro-imaging. Utilising a single camera, the module magnetically attaches to the case, doubling as a handle. Directed by the voice assistant and guided by the remaining modules, the camera can accurately target the suspicious area. Designed to detect, not diagnose– the companion app will refer users and provide booking if professional diagnosis is required.

Design process

The design process started with defining the technology required, how it could work, who would use it, and where. To help with this phase, I spoke to several experts including Dr. Amanda Oakley– a specialist in skin cancer & artificial intelligence. At this stage, she helped define what I needed for the AI to successful work. The second stage was conceptualising the design & prototyping. I began with form studies, a three-dimensional inquiry into materials, surfaces, volumes & edges and the role they play in the forms language. This resulted in a triangular-like shape and an initial design specification. The third stage was prototyping the functional aspect. Working within the design spec, I proposed the use of multiple cameras for redundancy, and a gimbal-like design to automatically locate and image the body. I prototyped several camera mechanisms to move the camera up, down and around. The first was single axis and belt driven with a micro servo, but wouldn’t fit the enclosure spec and was inconsistent. The second design struck luck, using tiny 3D printed mitre gears. With a successful camera prototype and design spec, I moved into the fourth and final stage– tying together the multiple streams of development from CMF to branding, producing final prototypes for presentation.

How it is different

Total body photography is not new. But equipment is designed for professionals, costing $100,000+ and typically the size of a large shower. Digital dermatoscopes are not new. But they’re only good if you know what to look for. Lastly, using AI to detect skin cancer at home, is not new. But existing products use smartphones, providing inconsistent and variable data that fails the AI before it’s started. However, there is no tool that combines all three, and designed for consumers to use. SPOT CHECK took on this challenge and achieved it using a unique design. Total body photography is completed using three cameras, with a built in gimbal. Using the telephoto lens and LiDAR sensor the camera intelligently locates and images the body automatically. Micro imaging uses the same camera and sensor but switches lens, magnetically attaching to the case and doubling as a handle. These unique designs deliver the AI clean and consistent data, accurately informing the user.

Future plans

SPOT CHECK is currently a concept design with an early camera gimbal prototype. The project has yet to explore development into the hardware, camera design, software, machine learning or artificial intelligence– all of which are incredibly exciting challenges for the project. However, from my thesis report, I’m very aware of the amount development necessary to take this to the next stage. My hope is that the project can bring greater awareness to the prevalence of skin cancer, and attract the attention of those with expertise and resource to bring this project into reality– to one day save many lives.

Awards