Dr. Aydogan Ozcan at UCLA has created a disease-detecting cell phone by hacking a Sony Ericsson w810i camera phone. Using a filtered light source, the hacked cell phone captures images of cells that are then analyzed on a desktop computer.
According to Wired, Ozcan's technology allows the hacked cell phone to detect specific diseases like malaria or count CD4+T cells to monitor an HIV patient's health.
Implications - Dr. Aydogan Ozcan hopes that in the near future his technology can be loaded into a hand-held device and produce results with no need for a computer. This incredible discovery could help doctors solve health problems quickly and be very helpful in the less-industrialized world.
Disease-Detecting Cell Phones
Scientist's Hack Analyzes Blood and Scans Cells
Trend Themes
1. Portable Disease Detection - The technology developed by Dr. Aydogan Ozcan enables disease detection using a hand-held device, eliminating the need for a computer.
2. Cell Phone Medical Diagnostics - Hacking cell phone cameras for medical analysis presents an innovative approach to diagnostics using widely available consumer devices.
3. Point-of-care Testing - By utilizing cell phones for disease detection, this trend enables quick and efficient on-site testing in remote areas or less-industrialized regions.
Industry Implications
1. Healthcare - The healthcare industry stands to benefit from the disruptive innovation of disease-detecting cell phones, improving diagnostics and accessibility.
2. Mobile Technology - The development of cell phones as medical diagnostic tools presents an opportunity for the mobile technology industry to expand into the healthcare sector.
3. Biotechnology - The integration of hacked cell phone cameras into medical diagnostics could revolutionize the biotechnology industry by offering cost-effective and accessible solutions.