Dotplot Participant Request for Upcoming Workshop | Guest Post

19 July 2023 — david-allen

Dotplot is a HealthTech company en route to developing the first at-home breast health monitoring tool. They aim to increase early detection of breast cancer by equipping people to check their breasts with clarity, ease and confidence so that any abnormalities can be flagged early. It is co-founded by Debra Babalola and Shefali Bohra, graduates of Innovation Design Engineering from Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art. 

The problem

In the UK there are around 11,500 breast cancer deaths every year and 31 women die of it each day. This is why regular self-checks are important to help identify suspicious changes on time. However, current methods for conducting these checks are limited to guidance via demonstrations, tutorials, and pamphlets. The Dotplot team interviewed several women and found that even after a nurse or GP demonstrates how to perform a self-check, they are still not certain that they are doing them correctly. Many have expressed difficulty in interpreting what they are feeling within their breasts and differentiating between lumps and normal breast tissue. In short, the current methods involve considerable amounts of guess work which Dotplot aims to eliminate.

The solution

Dotplot’s patent-pending technology guides women through breast self-checks on monthly basis and creates month-by-month comparisons to help flag abnormalities in breast tissue as early as possible. It combines a handheld device and software capable of locating, reading and recording breast tissue composition each month. Users first build individual maps of their torso which is used to guide them through the self-check. The device is used to check over their breasts and take readings of breast tissue composition using soundwaves. Dotplot offers provides real-time feedback of areas that have been covered and areas that still need covering to ensure all regions are scanned.

Get involved in their upcoming workshop!

This month, Dotplot is holding workshops to build their mobile app experience so that it meets the needs of people who have had a breast cancer incidence. The aim is to discover, brainstorm and co-create various features that should be offered via their app. It will be a fun and light-hearted session! (These workshops form part of a project funded by Innovate UK). They’re offering a mix of in-person and online workshops so you can choose whichever is more convenient. 

In-person:

Date: 19th and 25th July (attendance is only required on one day)

Location: Future Dreams House, 61 Birkenhead St, London WC1H 8BB (a 3-minute walk from London King’s Cross Station)

Time: 10am – 2pm with breaks in-between and lunch break 

Link to sign-up: https://calendly.com/dotplot/dotplot-workshop  

Reimbursement: £40 voucher towards a store of your choice. Lunch will be provided, and travel will be reimbursed.

Online: 

Date: 20th and 24th July (attendance is only required on one day)

Time: 10am – 1pm with breaks in-between and lunch break 

Link to sign-up: https://calendly.com/dotplot/dotplot-online-workshop

Reimbursement: £40 voucher towards a store of your choice.