The equality tool that paved the way for an internationally launched tech product

It is a bra with built-in sensors that has been on the market since February for women who feel uncomfortable with mammography. Many women choose to forgo mammography, even though it is a crucial tool for detecting breast cancer in time.

This shows that our tools and methods have received great international attention. From workshop and idea to an actual product on the market today.

The bra's sensors collect data on changes in the breasts. This allows parts of the examination to be done in a safer and more comfortable environment. The product can serve as a complement to mammography for women who would otherwise have opted out of the examination altogether.

Many women experience discomfort from mammography and may need a complement in a safer and more comfortable environment. Photo agency: Johnér

Innovators gathered around the tool

NOVA has been developed to develop inclusive innovations. The tool contains workshop material based on four cases. One of them is specifically about mammography.

In 2018, Vinnova initiated a number of workshops where the case of mammography was discussed. Participants came from both Swedish and international stakeholder categories, including universities, business, and government agencies.

The goal was to use NOVA to find alternative solutions and complements to mammography.

A newly launched tech product that can be an important complement to mammography for women who feel uncomfortable with the examination.

The discussion brought up an idea for a bra with sensors, which collects data about changes in the breasts so that parts of the examination can be done in a safer and more comfortable environment.

And today, just under 7 years later, an international tech company has launched just such a type of bra with built-in sensors. It is now on the market as a complement to mammography.

- This shows that our methods and tools have received great international attention – from an idea to an actual product on the market today, says Sophia Ivarsson, gender equality expert at Vinnova. From these thoughts in 2018 when the ideas were developed at the prototype stage together with Swedish and international stakeholder groups.

New angles bring new ideas – try NOVA

Innovations are often developed based on norms that do not take into account the needs of all users, whether it be gender, functional variation, ethnic background or age. Creating solutions that are inclusive, accessible and sustainable requires a norm-creative approach.

Do you also want to use NOVA to create inclusive and norm-creative solutions? Below you will find the material.

NOVA offers concrete methods for norm-creative innovation. By using NOVA, we can question limiting norms and develop innovations that contribute to a more equal society.