Jun 23
New Device Uses Mobile Phone To Test Vision In Developing Countries
Posted in: medical, Smartphones, Today's Chili
We tend to think of mobile phones as a matter of convenience, allowing us to be productive and entertained while we’re on the go. But a team of researchers at MIT’s Media Lab has created a simple and inexpensive device that when used with a mobile phone can help diagnose vision problems.
The underlying principles of the NETRA (Near-Eye Tool for Refractive Assessment) system are related to recent advances in adaptive optics. The test takes less than two minutes, during which the patient is asked to look through a small device attached to the screen of a mobile phone. The device uses small lenses and pinholes that require the user to focus at different depths.
If any vision problems are discovered while looking at the test patterns, the user adjusts the display until it can be seen clearly. This quickly provides exact measurements, potentially more accurate than the current system, which requires patients to decide which of two separate, serially viewed options is better.
Aside from the software needed on the mobile phone, the only equipment needed is a snap-on plastic attachment that can be manufactured for less than $2 each. Though further testing is necessary, the system has the potential to be faster and more accurate that results obtained from much more costly traditional equipment currently used by ophthalmologists. The NETRA system recently won a prize in te MIT IDEAS competition, and the prototype and supporting research papers will be presented at this summer’s SIGGRAPH computer graphics conference.
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