Purulia high schoolers win sustainability award for oral cancer AI
Five high schoolers from Purulia, West Bengal, have created an AI tool that uses your phone camera to catch early signs of oral cancer, just by snapping a picture of your mouth.
Their project, which aims to help people in rural areas where doctors aren't always nearby, just won a Sustainability Award at the 2026 Ciena Solutions Challenge.
AI flags mouth abnormalities, suggests checkup
The AI checks for unusual colors or textures in mouth photos and suggests if you should see a doctor: Think of it as an early warning system, not a final diagnosis.
With their $3,000 prize money, the team hopes to roll out this tech at health camps in villages.
Since India has about one-third of the world's oral cancer cases, this simple idea could make a real difference by encouraging people to get checked sooner.