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Prof Swanepoel realised that what was needed is an app that can be calibrated on a low-cost cell phone. Claim to fame: mother of two daughters; winner of the Izethelo Award for Outstanding Journalism from the South African fruit industry, and winner of the best technical article award as presented by the South African Agricultural Writers' Association Background: MPhil Journalism, specialising in science journalism and HonsBA Psychology.{/INSERTKEYS}{/PARAGRAPH} Engela Duvenage Co-founder of SciBraai. Come spring, hearScreen will be loaded onto the cell phones of community health workers in Mamelodi. Current equipment used can also be quite cumbersome and costly — and needs a degree of training for the tests to be done well. With the help of students they set about to develop, test and validate a software solution. {PARAGRAPH}{INSERTKEYS}Photo: De Wet Swanepoel To do a hearing screen test on each and every Grade 1 learner entering the South African school system is easier said than done. He took the idea to fellow UP researcher, Dr Herman Myburgh of the Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering. Since the hearing of all South African Grade 1 learners must be screened. The innovation was also shortlisted for the recent African Innovation Prize Award. However, it is a requirement that is logistically easier said than done, as 1. They are quite cumbersome, heavy to handle, need electricity and also a certain level of expertise and training. Environmental noise cannot be blocked out or controlled, and these devices also do not offer the data capturing and management possibilities that are possible thanks to mobile connectivity. This is thanks to the introduction of the Integrated School Health Policy which was produced by the National Departments of Health, Basic Education and Social Development. The app adheres to international calibration standards, can be loaded onto a R Samsung smartphone, and is automated. Day job: Science writer and science communicator who loves turning research papers into news stories. They are part of a pilot study that will test the use of mHealth technologies to assist community-oriented primary care. Background noise is continually measured with the built-in microphone, to ensure environmental quality control. The data is captured on-site and can be uploaded through the cellphone network to a centralised management site, where it can be evaluated for necessary recommendations. Also, along with his students he trains school nurses who have to perform these screening tests. A screening test can be completed within a minute — and all with the press of a few buttons. The cell phone is lightweight and battery operated. These experiences gave him a good idea of just how difficult a requirement it is to fulfill.