Analytical Innovation

Nithya Ramanathan, founder of NexLeaf Analytics, works to improve research and data with the help of simple objects and devices. Her organization couples low cost devices with sophisticated and complex analytical technologies, ultimately transforming everyday objects into scientific instrument. Objects like cell phones play a crucial part in key research. Taking photos of experiments and emailing them allows researchers to translate pictures into measurements. Ramanathan shares how this approach has helped to measure pollution and to prevent extinction. Monitoring and measuring is essential for any research and cellphones give us real-time access to data, allowing us to take action when it matters most. These simple devices can be used by people with little technical training and can be distributed worldwide.