VenaLume James Dyson Award UAE winner Umer Farhan has built a low-cost vein visualisation device to reduce failed peripheral IV insertions. The Middlesex University Dubai student won the 2026 UAE James Dyson Award on 16 September, after previously presenting the project through the UAE’s University Entrepreneurship Program.
VenaLume James Dyson Award UAE winner uses two stages
VenaLume first uses an AI diagnostic system to assess the likelihood of difficult venous access. If visualisation is needed, a Raspberry Pi 5 and near-infrared camera map the veins, while the CLAHE image-processing algorithm turns the footage into a real-time display.
The design came from Farhan’s own experience of repeated attempts during routine blood tests. He plans to take the device into clinical trials, refine the hardware and seek medical regulatory approval, according to the James Dyson Award project page.
“Having difficult intravenous access myself, I know how frustrating and painful it can be when a simple blood test or IV insertion takes several attempts. When I realised how many other people had experienced the same thing, I wanted to see if engineering could provide a better solution.”
Umer Farhan, VenaLume designer
What happens next for VenaLume
Farhan receives £5,000 as the national winner. The international Top 20 shortlist is due on 14 October, followed by the global winners on 4 November. The James Dyson Award lists a £30,000 prize for the international winner.
VocaBuddy, a wearable communication device, and AVAA, an autonomous companion robot, were named the UAE runners-up. All three projects move to the international stage.
The award is the latest UAE milestone for VenaLume. MDX Dubai previously presented the project at a June University Entrepreneurship Program demo day involving 15 finalist teams from six UAE universities. The James Dyson Award project page says Farhan’s next steps include clinical trials and regulatory approvals.
What is VenaLume?
VenaLume is a two-stage device that assesses difficult venous access and uses near-infrared imaging to display veins in real time.
Who designed VenaLume?
Umer Farhan, a Computer Systems Engineering student at Middlesex University Dubai, designed VenaLume.
What happens after the UAE James Dyson Award?
VenaLume moves to the international stage, with the Top 20 shortlist due on 14 October 2026 and the global winners on 4 November 2026.
