CKDu Guardian: Solar-Powered Kinetic Kidney Screener

Bringing kidney screening closer to the communities that need it most 

In farming communities across parts of Sri Lanka, Central America, and India, Chronic Kidney Disease of unknown origin (CKDu) has become a growing health crisis. Many agricultural workers do not realize they are sick until significant kidney damage has already occurred, often because early testing is inaccessible, expensive, or unavailable in rural areas. 

Ingenious+ national winner Akshit Erukulla wanted to change that. 

His innovation, CKDu Guardian, is a solar-powered kinetic kidney screener designed to provide affordable, field-ready kidney testing in low-resource communities. The portable device was created to bring earlier detection closer to the people most affected by the disease, reducing the need for long and costly travel to distant hospitals. 

“Communities that are most affected by CKDu, such as sugarcane harvesters in El Salvador and rice paddy workers in Sri Lanka, clearly need a laboratory-grade, accurate CKDu screener in field-ready, affordable technology,” Akshit said.  

Unlike many existing low-cost tests, which can miss early warning signs, CKDu Guardian uses AI-driven kinetic analysis and a solar-heated temperature stabilization system to produce more accurate creatinine measurements in challenging field conditions. The device can be charged using sunlight or warm water and operate for hours without electricity, making it practical for remote environments where laboratory infrastructure is limited. 

Akshit combined engineering, AI, and biomedical research to develop the technology. His work included researching peer-reviewed studies on CKDu, conducting thermal stability simulations, and training machine learning models capable of analyzing reaction curves in real time using low-power hardware. 

The project was also informed by conversations with organizations working directly in CKDu-affected regions. Akshit connected with NGOs including La Isla Network and explored how the technology could eventually be deployed in villages where access to healthcare remains limited. 

“The primary beneficiaries of CKDu Guardian are agricultural workers in CKDu-endemic regions,” he explained, noting that early detection could help preserve long-term kidney function and reduce devastating healthcare costs for families.  

As an Ingenious+ national winner, Akshit received $10,000 to continue refining the technology and preparing for pilot testing. Funding will support the production of beta devices, clinical validation, and the development of low-cost testing infrastructure designed for real-world deployment. 

About Ingenious+ 

Ingenious+ is the Rideau Hall Foundation’s national youth innovation challenge, supporting young people aged 14 to 18 who are creating solutions to challenges in their communities and beyond. Alongside funding, participants gain access to mentorship, networking opportunities, and national recognition that help them grow their ideas and connect with fellow young innovators. 

In 2026, 215 young people across Canada received more than $230,000 through Ingenious+, supporting projects focused on climate change, health and wellbeing, accessibility, community connection, and technology. Learn more about Ingenious+.