A research team at Purdue University has developed an app that can take pictures of eyelids to detect anemia. The software can analyze and evaluate hemoglobin levels and make markers for diseases such as anemia or kidney damage. The solution can make it easier for people to detect blood abnormalities. Moreover, this method is less invasive and is worth promoting to areas with underdeveloped medical resources.
It is reported that this research, led by Young Kim of Purdue University, is committed to applying a newly developed algorithm. By converting low-resolution cell phone photos into high-resolution digital spectral signals, the research team could analyze and calculate hemoglobin levels.
Although the current software for measuring hemoglobin levels needs to be run on a separate computer, the research team hopes to integrate it into the app to further simplify the promotion of the solution.
SangMokPark explained that the idea is to see various spectrums through a simple photo. After all, humans cannot distinguish several photos with very similar redness levels through the naked eye.
Spectroscopy can provide the algorithm with multiple data points, increasing the chance of finding valuable information that correlates well with hemoglobin levels.
Currently, the YoungKim team is continuing to improve the software so that it can run independently on smartphones without other hardware.
After taking photos of the eyelids with a camera, doctors regularly assess the degree of redness and swelling and then use a built-in software algorithm to process the calculations.
Young Kim, associate professor of biomedical engineering at Purdue University, added: "Although it cannot replace traditional blood testing, this technology can still provide technical basis for hemoglobin in a timely and non-invasive manner."
After all, in some extreme cases, patients may need to undergo multiple blood tests, worsening an already anemic body. Details of this research have been published in the recently published journal "OSAOptica".