Affordable Technology Research Articles

Multi-metal ferrite as a promising catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in microbial fuel cell.

Improving catalytic activity of cathode with noble metal-free catalysts can significantly establish microbial fuel cells (MFCs) as a sustainable and economically affordable technology. This investigation aimed to assess the viability of utilizing tri-metal ferrite (Co0.5Cu0.5 Bi0.1Fe1.9O4) as an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst to enhance the performance of cathode in MFCs. Trimetallic ferrite was synthesized using a sol-gel auto-combustion process. Electrochemical evaluations were conducted to assess the efficacy of as-synthesized composite as an ORR catalyst, employing electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). This evaluation revealed that the impregnation of bismuth in the Co-Cu-ferrite structure improves the reduction current response and reduces the charge transfer resistance. Further experiments were conducted to test the performance of this catalyst in an MFC. The MFC with tri-metal ferrite catalyst generated a power density of 11.44 W/m3 with 21.4% coulombic efficiency (CE), which was found to be comparable with commercially available 10% Pt/C used as cathode catalyst in MFC (power density of 12.14 W/m3 and CE of 23.1%) and substantially greater than MFC having bare carbon felt cathode without any catalyst (power density of 2.49 W/m3 and CE of 7.39%). This exceptionally inexpensive ORR catalyst has adequate merit to replace commercial costlier platinum-based cathode catalysts for upscaling MFCs.

Uncovering post-adoption usage of AI-based voice assistants: a technology affordance lens using a mixed-methods approach

ABSTRACT Despite the growing proliferation of AI-based voice assistants in our daily lives, how different functions of AI-based voice assistants affect users’ post-adoption usage behaviours remains an under-investigated research question. This study explores the nature and causation of post-adoption usage behaviours (effective utilisation after initial adoption or diffusion) within the context of AI-based voice assistants. Using a sequential mixed-methods research design, we first identify the post-adoption usage behaviours of AI-based voice assistants as a multidimensional concept comprised of routine use and extended use, then develop a contextualised model by revealing technology-specific antecedents, cognitive beliefs, and boundary conditions. By integrating results from the quantitative study and qualitative study, we find that three technology affordances (i.e., anthropomorphism affordance, interactivity affordance, and personalisation affordance) are salient antecedents of two cognitive beliefs, which further affect users’ routine use and extended use of AI-based voice assistants. Additionally, we uncover use frequency as a boundary condition and obtain a complementary view of post-adoption usage of AI-based voice assistants. The empirical research findings can extend the post-adoption IS usage literature and provide practical implications for crafting user-centred functionalities to facilitate effective human-AI interactions.

Beyond control? The political economy of private interception, intrusion, and surveillance markets

Private intrusion, interception, and surveillance (PIIS) markets represent a key vehicle for the global expansion of digital surveillance regimes. Yet, due to their opacity and notorious secrecy, these markets have received relatively little scholarly attention. Triangulating between a unique dataset comprising 5973 industry presentations, interviews, and industry reports, this article provides novel insights into the evolution of market structures and public control efforts. Conceptualizing the PIIS-market as a dynamic and fluid assemblage, we highlight how the enmeshment of social, political, and technological dimensions shaped hierarchies and agencies of control. Our findings point towards the existence of three intersecting dynamics of territorialization, changing technological affordances, and ordering that persistently undermined attempts to limit market operations. In reflecting on these past failures, the presented approach points towards the importance of timing and highlights a need to re-conceptualize control in state-market relations from an assemblage perspective, pragmatically working across bureaucratic boundaries and leveraging disparate power centers across the public and private divide. Considering the growing interest in economic dependencies and the strategic dimension of high-tech markets, these findings have a wider relevance to current debates about the rise of economic security states.

Blurring the line? Music, sound and “sonic gaze” in post-ceasefire Troubles-themed film

This article appraises developments in soundtracks of narrative fiction features based on the Northern Ireland Troubles, focusing on selected titles released in the post-ceasefire period that was consolidated by the Anglo-Irish (“Good Friday”) agreement of 1998. It does this with reference to earlier approaches to music and sound for Troubles-themed film, and by drawing on Danijela Kulezic-Wilson’s sound-design-is-the-new-score proposition. The article advances “sonic gaze” as a pertinent critical lens through which to complement artistic appraisals of historical and contemporary soundtracks in light of political and colonial contexts and legacies. In comparison to earlier Troubles-themed film, a small number of narrative fiction features from the turn of the twenty-first century propose alternative positions and/or innovations in their overall sound design. Readings of Resurrection Man (Marc Evans, 1998), Hunger (Steve McQueen, 2008), Five Minutes of Heaven (Oliver Hirschbiegel, 2009) and ’71 (Yann Demange, 2014) interpret several significant soundtrack developments. These arise from the involvement of popular music producers, notably David Holmes, technological affordances (production and postproduction) and alternative artistic perspectives that interrupted a colonial-anthropological sonic gaze. The article concludes that Hunger comes closest to Liz Greene and Kulezic-Wilson’s theorisations on the integrated soundtrack and on narrative film’s potential for achieving a holistic audiovisual musicality.

Improving medication adherence among persons with cardiovascular disease through m-health and community health worker-led interventions in Kerala; protocol for a type II effectiveness-implementation research-(SHRADDHA-ENDIRA)

BackgroundCardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality worldwide, and at present, India has the highest burden of acute coronary syndrome and ST-elevation myocardial infarction (MI). A key reason for poor outcomes is non-adherence to medication.MethodsThe intervention is a 2 × 2 factorial design trial applying two interventions individually and in combination with 1:1 allocation ratio: (i) ASHA-led medication adherence initiative comprising of home visits and (ii) m-health intervention using reminders and self-reporting of medication use. This design will lead to four potential experimental conditions: (i) ASHA-led intervention, (ii) m-health intervention, (iii) ASHA and m-health intervention combination, (iv) standard of care. The cluster randomized trial has been chosen as it randomizes communities instead of individuals, avoiding contamination between participants. Subcenters are a natural subset of the health system, and they will be considered as the cluster/unit. The factorial cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT) will also incorporate a nested health economic evaluation to assess the cost-effectiveness and return on investment (ROI) of the interventions on medication adherence among patients with CVDs. The sample size has been calculated to be 393 individuals per arm with 4–5 subcenters in each arm. A process evaluation to understand the effect of the intervention in terms of acceptability, adoption (uptake), appropriateness, costs, feasibility, fidelity, penetration (integration of a practice within a specific setting), and sustainability will be done.DiscussionThe effect of different types of intervention alone and in combination will be assessed using a cluster randomized design involving 18 subcenter areas. The trial will explore local knowledge and perceptions and empower people by shifting the onus onto themselves for their medication adherence. The proposal is aligned to the WHO-NCD aims of improving the availability of the affordable basic technologies and essential medicines, training the health workforce and strengthening the capacity of at the primary care level, to address the control of NCDs. The proposal also helps expand the use of digital technologies to increase health service access and efficacy for NCD treatment and may help reduce cost of treatment.Trial registrationThe trial has been registered with the Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI), reference number CTRI/2023/10/059095.

Transforming science education with virtual reality: an immersive representations model

ABSTRACT Immersive virtual reality (IVR) offers significant transformative potential for science education by supporting learning experiences that deeply engage students and improve their understanding of scientific concepts. Despite considerable interest, research on the use of IVR in science education is still in its formative stage. Currently, there is a substantial gap in a tool that can help stakeholders evaluate key elements of immersive software for science education contexts. This research addresses this gap by conceptualising and applying a framework designed to assist educators, researchers, and designers in assessing essential components of an immersive science application. The framework highlights three key components: IVR technological affordances, the exploration of science within IVR, and scientific representations. These components are synthesised into the Immersive Representations Model (IRM). Employing screen capture methodology, we evaluated the application and significance of the IRM. This study pioneers a structured approach to evaluating immersive technologies in science education.

Digital technology implementation: The mediating role of the duality of digital technology affordance in open innovation practices

The current wave of digital transformation has placed enterprises under dual pressure from technological changes and the challenges of openness. These two factors are closely intertwined, interact with each other, and are highly complex and uncertain. The implementation of digital technology (DT) is a key driving force, providing crucial support for enterprises to cope with an open innovation environment. Our study seeks to reveal the mechanism of the impact of DT implementation on enterprises’ open innovation practices. Initially, this study introduces a novel concept of DT affordance composed of two dimensions: technological affordance and data resource affordance. Subsequently, DT affordance is employed to elucidate why DT implementation drives open innovation practices, and the duality mediating mechanism of DT affordance is proposed. We then differentiate between two types of digital transformation modes-business pull mode and technology push mode-and explore the interaction effects of the duality of DT affordance. Enterprise survey data indicate that the dual mediating mechanism of DT affordance is significant and technological affordance plays a more substantial role in the business-pull mode. Finally, we discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our research.

Gendered Affordances of Digital Technology in Mitigating the Perceived Risk of Dating App Matches Perpetrating Sexual Assault or “Making Stories” of Assault

Dating apps are a popular tool for finding sexual and romantic partners. Yet, these apps can pose risks that arise from gendered affordances of technology that users deploy to harass and victimize their matches, particularly matches who are women or sexual and gender minorities. Just as gendered affordances may facilitate risks, dating app users may also deploy technology in ways that mitigate risk. In this study, we examined risks that men and women perceive dating app matches to pose, as well as ways in which they use technology to mitigate these risks. Through an analysis of focus groups conducted with a sample of college student dating app users, we found the perceived risks that matches pose were markedly different for men and women, particularly among those seeking mixed-gender pairings. Women who matched with men were concerned about being sexually assaulted, whereas men who matched with women were concerned about being falsely accused of assault. Thus, women used gendered affordances to enhance their safety, and men used affordances to enhance their “believability.” We suggest our findings point to the positional and interactional nature of gendered affordances, encompassing ways in which gender inequality may be both maintained and subverted with digital technology.

Decision Support System for Selecting Online Teaching Methods Using the Fuzzy MCDM Algorithm

The global pandemic that has hit the world recently has forced educational institutions to adopt online teaching methods. However, choosing an effective online teaching method is a major challenge. This research develops a Decision Support System (DSS) that uses the Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Decision Making (FMCDM) Algorithm to select the best online teaching method. This system is designed to assist decision making in educational institutions by considering various criteria such as learning effectiveness, technology affordability, ease of use, and user satisfaction. This research uses data collection methods that involve surveys from lecturers and students to obtain their preferences and experiences with various online teaching platforms. The data collected is then processed using the FMCDM model to evaluate and rank teaching methods based on predetermined criteria. Fuzzy systems are used to overcome uncertainty and subjectivity in criteria assessment. The results of this research show that the system developed is able to effectively assess and rank various online teaching methods. From the analysis carried out, interactive teaching methods using videos and real-time quizzes received the highest ranking based on predetermined criteria. This suggests that the combination of engaging visual content and high interactivity is highly valued in online teaching contexts

A REVIEW ON SUSTAINABLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN INDIA: ONE STEP TO BUILD A GOOD ECONOMY AND ENVIRONMENT

Affordable housing, economic growth, and environmental protection are India's urban development priorities. The housing sector of India holds the third largest position among other industries. India needs inexpensive, sustainable housing for economic and environmental reasons. The definition of affordable housing has been discussed as given by the government schemes and authorities. Urbanisation, infrastructure, and housing shortages affect India's housing business. According to a government technical study from 2011, there was an 18.76-million-unit shortfall in metropolitan areas, with 96% of those units belonging to EWS and LIG. However, it doesn’t consider nondurable and rental houses, which further increases the housing demand. To address such issues, the central government has launched various sustainable affordable housing policies to integrate sustainability, affordability, and inclusion into architecture and construction. ‘Housing for all’ is one of the government schemes launched in June 2015 which promotes affordable housing and technology in the sector. Housing and allied industries play a significant role to boost GDP, jobs, and communities. Energy-efficient technology, waste management, green spaces, and sustainable building reduce housing developments' environmental impact. These activities reduce carbon emissions and strengthen urban climate change resilience, saving the environment. The research stresses social inclusion to provide affordable housing to low-income, women, and vulnerable people. Housing inclusivity promotes equity in the society. India's sustainable, affordable housing schemes are analysed, and gaps are identified. Public-private partnerships, subsidies, and governments encourage sustainable housing. Finally, affordable housing benefits India's economy and environment. This study underlines the necessity to incorporate economic, environmental, and social factors into housing laws and practices to solve India's housing crisis. It further mentions Sustainable, affordable housing will boost India's economy, environment, and the quality of life holistically.

Design and Evaluation of a Web Platform for Connecting Instructors and Practitioners – Instructors’ Perspective

ABSTRACT Collaboration between instructors and practitioners is crucial for preparing the future workforce. By applying connectivism learning theory (CLT) and leveraging the affordances of information technology (IT) through Web 2.0, this paper introduces ConPEC, a web platform designed to bridge the gap between instructors and practitioners in the construction industry. This paper presents the design and user evaluation of ConPEC as guided by design principles and heuristics to ensure optimal usability and acceptance by end-users. Twenty (20) instructors in construction-related academic programs who are potential end-users were recruited for evaluation by interacting with ConPEC in a real-case scenario. Both objective and subjective measures were adopted to assess ConPEC’s usability, instructors’ perception, and their intention to use ConPEC. The results reveal the potential of ConPEC to enhance academic pedagogy by providing instructors with improved access to practitioners and fostering a blend of theory and practical knowledge required by the industry. The results also demonstrate the efficacy of the adopted method in developing information systems because users perceived ConPEC as useful, user-friendly, and likely to be adopted. This study highlights the application of CLT and IT to address skill disparities and align students with industry expectations, serving as a reference for similar initiatives.

THE NEED TO INTRODUCE GREEN AND CARBON TAXES IN RA

Currently, environmental problems that arise in most countries of the world require the transition of certain sectors of the economy, economic entities to the creation of the best and affordable technologies by means of tax regulation. Environmental taxes and fees contribute to the modernization of production, the development of competitiveness, the reduction of energy-intensive production, the development of modern scientific research. In the article, the world experience of applying economic mechanisms for regulating the protection and use of the environment is analyzed, the directions of the state policy implemented in Armenia are discussed and reviewed, conclusions and proposals for tax regulation are made.

Exploration of Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Incorporated with Plant Capped Silver Nanoparticles for the Removal of Pharmaceuticals in Wastewater

ABSTRACTThe ineffectiveness of traditional wastewater treatment procedures to completely remove them results in their release into the environment. There is a pressing need to remove pharmaceuticals effectively using different methods. Using affordable technologies while maintaining standards for health and safety is one of the main problems in the wastewater treatment industry. In this study, a cost effective and highly selective molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) was combined with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) capped with platanus acerifolia (PL) and moringa oleifera (MO) for selective removal of sulfamethoxazole, nevirapine and ibuprofen in wastewater. Moreover, the study focused on adsorption parameters, including temperature, pH, adsorbent dosage, adsorbate concentration, and contact time. The transmission electron microscopy revealed that MO/PL‐AgNPs and MO/PL‐nanoMIPs are nanosized and spherical. XRD confirmed the formation of AgNPs onto MO/PL‐AgNPs and MO/PL‐nanoMIPs surface. Adsorption isotherms for MO/PL‐AgNPs and MO/PL‐nanoMIPs fitted with the linear Langmuir model. However, high Qmax values were obtained for MO/PL‐nanoMIPs compared to MO/PL‐AgNPs. The linear pseudosecond order second‐order kinetic model best fitted on MO/PL‐nanoMIPs, while the thermodynamics revealed that the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic. The findings revealed for the first time the high efficiency of MO/PL‐nanoMIPs to remove the selected target pharmaceuticals in wastewater.

Gold-Hydrogel Nanocomposites for High-Resolution Laser-Based 3D Printing of Scaffolds with SERS-Sensing Properties.

Although visible light-based stereolithography (SLA) represents an affordable technology for the rapid prototyping of 3D scaffolds for in vitro support of cells, its potential could be limited by the lack of functional photocurable biomaterials that can be SLA-structured at micrometric resolution. Even if innovative photocomposites showing biomimetic, bioactive, or biosensing properties have been engineered by loading inorganic particles into photopolymer matrices, main examples rely on UV-assisted extrusion-based low-resolution processes. Here, SLA-printable composites were obtained by mixing a polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogel with multibranched gold nanoparticles (NPs). NPs were engineered to copolymerize with the PEGDA matrix by implementing a functionalization protocol involving covalent grafting of allylamine molecules that have C═C pendant moieties. The formulations of gold nanocomposites were tailored to achieve high-resolution fast prototyping of composite scaffolds via visible light-based SLA. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that, after mixing with a polymer and after laser structuring, gold NPs still retained their unique plasmonic properties and could be exploited for optical detection of analytes through surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). As a proof of concept, SERS-sensing performances of 3D printed plasmonic scaffolds were successfully demonstrated with a Raman probe molecule (e.g., 4-mercaptobenzoic acid) from the perspective of future extensions to real-time sensing of cell-specific markers released within cultures. Finally, biocompatibility tests preliminarily demonstrated that embedded NPs also played a key role by inducing physiological cell-cytoskeleton rearrangements, further confirming the potentialities of such hybrid nanocomposites as groundbreaking materials in laser-based bioprinting.

Novel dual‐resonance damped alternating current testing system for offline partial discharge measurement of power cables

AbstractTo accurately detect the early deterioration of electrical insulation in power cables, an energizing system is required for offline partial discharge (PD) measurements. The damped alternating current (DAC) testing system has emerged as an effective tool for inducing PD events. However, the existing systems often suffer from limitations such as signal interference, low sensitivity, and high costs. To address these issues, this study proposes a novel dual‐resonance DAC testing system that is simple in structure and cost‐effective. The prototype was built for testing 10‐kV distribution cables, and its effectiveness was validated through experimental tests on a cable sample. The results show that this approach significantly improves PD detection sensitivity and successfully completes PD localization. This research contributes to the development of more efficient and affordable DAC generation technology for power cable testing applications.

Development of a novel salt processing technology and its performance and economic evaluation: an experimental study

ABSTRACT This study aimed to develop a novel, sustainable, highly efficient, and affordable salt processing technology tailored to local salt producers. Novel technology converts raw solar sea salt into the finest dried salt, which is widely accepted by various industries. Experiments were conducted at a drying temperature of 80°C, with an air velocity of 30 m/s, and a feed rate of 125 kg per hour to evaluate the proposed novel salt processing technology. Performance evaluation was based on product quality parameters (e.g. wet moisture content, sodium chloride (NaCl) percentage, and whiteness) and specific energy consumption. The economic assessment relied on financial analysis and payback period parameters. The results indicated a reduction in salt sample moisture content from 10.37% ± 0.4% to 0.47% ± 0.02%, with NaCl percentage and whiteness of the salt produced at 98.5% ± 0.3% and 81 ± 0.7, respectively. The specific energy consumption for the novel salt processing technology was 0.119 ± 0.07 kWh/kg of the final salt product. Initial investment requirements totalled IDR 275,435,000, with a payback period of 1.66 years. This proposed novel salt processing technology has the potential to generate high-quality dried salt with a production efficiency of 89.5%. Consequently, it could enhance local producer’s businesses, seize opportunities in the national salt market, support rural industrialisation, and be best configured for Indonesia’s local salt producers.

HUMAN FOLLOWING CART

The development of a human-following robot utilizing Raspberry Pi and camera technology represents a significant advancement in autonomous robotics, offering practical solutions for various industries. This project integrates a Raspberry Pi microcomputer, a camera, and ultrasonic sensors to create a robot capable of tracking and following a human operator. The system employs computer vision algorithms, facilitated by a Haar Cascade Classifier, to detect faces in real-time video feeds. The video feed is processed to determine the position of the human within the frame, enabling the robot to navigate accordingly. Ultrasonic sensors are used to measure the distance between the robot and the human, ensuring that a safe and optimal following distance is maintained. The motors and motor drivers are controlled based on the visual and distance data, allowing the robot to move forward, backward, or turn as needed. This combination of technologies enhances worker safety by reducing physical strain and improves operational efficiency by automating the transportation of goods, tools, and supplies. The implementation of this system demonstrates the practical application of affordable and accessible technologies like the Raspberry Pi in creating intelligent, autonomous robots. The project highlights the potential for such robots to revolutionize workflows in warehouses, manufacturing plants, and hospitals, making advanced automation more attainable for a wide range of businesses. The integration of computer vision and sensor-based navigation in human-following robots marks a significant step forward in the evolution of intelligent workspaces and autonomous systems.

Teaching Tech by Rote: Socialization into Digital Literacies in a Ghanaian Classroom

ABSTRACT Building on decades of interdisciplinary language-centered research on literacies, this article is an exploration of the many ideologies about technology, literacy, and “good” learners, and the resulting tangle of contradictory practices, that converge in rural Ghanaian Information and Communication Technology (ICT) classrooms. In addition to tracing how Western ideologies of technological transformation were imported into the design of ICT policy and curricula via international development organizations, the article contrasts the enduring routines and practices of hierarchical knowledge transfer in Ghanaian classrooms with assumptions about exploratory users embedded in the design of technologies primarily produced in and for North American contexts. In doing so, the article highlights the regimes of participation (Flamenbaum & George 2023), or the interplay between these taken-for-granted ideologies, technological affordances, and available roles for participation in knowledge production, which dynamically structure participatory engagements with digital literacies. Such a lens highlights the ways in which persistent policy framings of digital literacies as universal, neutral universal encounters between individuals and particular hardware or software enable and reproduce longstanding processes of disciplining marginalized populations.

Building Three-dimensional Virtual Historic Fashion Museum Exhibitions: From the Perspective of Technology Affordances

Museums are currently undertaking the task of digital transformation. Transformational technology generates revitalization of the curatorship, cultural heritage presentation, management model, and traditional roles of museums. The creation of three-dimensional (3D) virtual museum exhibitions is important to fulfill the revolutionary operational requirements and projections of recent museums through digital transformation. The objectives of this project were to (1) create realistic 3D virtual museum exhibitions accessible from the web, focusing on historic fashions, and (2) provide an analysis of the process and resources for creating 3D virtual museum exhibitions featuring object-focused exhibits. As a theoretical background of this project, the theory of technology affordances and the affordance actualization process were applied in the creation of 3D virtual museum exhibitions. The results of this project provide cultural heritage museums and institutions with useful precedents for the development of 3D virtual historic fashion museum exhibitions.

Effect of a learning-based approach using the echo-signals obtained by a single-unit transducer on detection of breast tumors.

1566 Background: Breast cancer mortalities in the less developed countries are predicted to increase over the next decades mainly due to the low utilization rates of breast cancer screening programs. Additionally, studies have shown that the sensitivity and accuracy of breast self-examination in women are suboptimal. Therefore, it is important to develop a novel and affordable technology that can accurately detect small breast tumors in women. We have developed a deep learning-based echo- signal processing system that can detect breast tumors with high sensitivity and accuracy by merely obtaining ego-motion estimated echo-signals generated by a single-unit piezoelectric transducer system. Methods: We have prospectively collected echo-signals using a single-unit piezoelectric transducer system in 200 patients with breast tumors who underwent curative surgery at the Seoul National University Hospital and SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center between Oct 2022 and Feb 2024. The data from the first 131 cases was used for the training and testing of the deep learning model with the ratio of 8:2, and the subsequent data from 69 cases was used for the external validation. We used ImageNet pre-trained ResNet50 model to train the deep learning model and adopted various data augmentation methods for model robustness. Five nested cross-validation was used to ensure the generalization performance. Results: The median age of the enrolled patients was 55 (IOR, 47-63) and 65 patients (32.5%) had non-palpable breast tumors. Nearly half of the patients (n=93, 46.5%) had tumors smaller than 2.0 cm in the largest dimension. Our deep learning algorithm showed outstanding performance with the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.914±0.022 and 0.964±0.011 for the image- and region-level, respectively, in the training and testing set (n=131). In the external validation set (n=69), the model demonstrated an AUC of 0.846±0.012 and 0.932±0.009 for the image- and region-level, respectively. As shown (Table), the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were substantially improved for the region-level analysis when compared with those of the image-level analysis. Conclusions: Using a prospectively collected data from 200 patients, we developed a highly accurate and robust deep learning model to detect breast tumors in women by processing echo-signals obtained by a single-unit piezoelectric transducer system. Our data indicate that deep learning approach based on low-volume echo signal can lead to a novel and affordable breast tumor screening strategy that can improve early breast cancer detection.[Table: see text]