Colorimetrix, a new app developed by University of Cambridge researchers, turns a smartphone into a portable medical diagnostic device. The app could make monitoring conditions such as HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, diabetes, kidney disease, and urinary tract infections clearer and easier for both patients and doctors, and could eventually be used to slow or limit the spread of pandemics.
The app accurately performs colorimetric (color-based) tests for use in home, clinical, or remote settings, and enables transmission of medical data from patients directly to health professionals.
Colorimetric tests are widely used for medical monitoring, drug testing and environmental analysis because of their portability, compact size, and ease of use. The tests, typically in the form of small strips, work by producing color change in a solution: the intensity of the color produced determines the concentration of that solution.
But when used in a home or remote setting, these tests can be difficult to read accurately. False readings are very common, which can result in erroneous diagnosis or treatment. Specialized laboratory equipment such as spectrophotometers or test-specific readers can be used to automate the readouts with high sensitivity, but these are costly and bulky.