Student develops app to detect malaria with smartphones

Today mobile phone apps are not just limited to entertainment, but they are increasingly being utilized by developers as means to serve the society. The Lifelens system, designed by the student of Harvard Business School, Cy Khormaee and Lifelens, is an example of such a mobile application, which acts as a diagnostic tool for malaria.

Smartphone App To Detect Malaria

The application named, Lifelens system come with two components - a hardware and a software. The hardware system is equipped with a microscopic lens, which can be attached to the back of the Windows Phone 7 mobile device. The software component of the Lifelens system is based on Microsoft's application framework, Silverlight and is capable of reading the blood sample placed on the lens, just like a microscope.

The Lifelens system is quite easy to use. You are just required to place a single drop of blood from the patient on the microscopic lens. The next step is to launch the application, which automatically magnifies the blood sample for a better look. Looking thoroughly at the magnified picture will enable you make out the difference between the blood sample of a healthy person and one infected with malaria. The software can analyze the blood sample computationally as well.

The Lifelens team designed this application addressing the need for a more reliable test for malaria in the sub-Saharan Africa and other such malaria inflicted countries. Based on Windows Mobile Phone 7, the mobile application has also been submitted to the competition, Imagine Cup World, sponsored by Microsoft. The competition is centered around the theme "imagine a world where technology helps solve the toughest problems". The Lifelens system can be a great tool in the hand of health professionals and NGOs working for the betterment of patients infected with malaria.

Via: BostInnovation