People with diabetes and people with anemia share one thing in common: they’d rather not have to stab themselves in order to see whether or not they’re dying. Unfortunately, it seems that it may have to stay that way for diabetics. But, people with anemia rejoice: there’s another option in development.
Rob Mannino, who suffers from a common form of anemia, got tired of the frequent blood transfusions and tests. Because getting to the hospital for a blood test in the middle of a transfusion proved itself too difficult time and time again, his doctors had to resort to estimating when he would need a transfusion; they had to guess rather than test his blood directly.
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This led Mannino to take matters into his own hands. He set out to put an end to the impractical impalements required to test his hemoglobin, with the end goal of allowing users to analyze their own hemoglobin levels. Through the initial stages of the development process, he was his only test subject.
A better solution for anemia testing?
After multiple iterations, Mannino’s solution was almost complete. What he ended up creating was a smartphone app: by analyzing the color of their fingernails, the user is able to tell whether or not their hemoglobin is low. The algorithm was developed by testing a total of 237 people.
Of course, the app still isn’t perfect in its current state. It’s also recommended that, once it’s released, the app should only be used to screen, not to diagnose. However, the app is still remarkably accurate for relying purely on an image of the user’s fingernails.
Accessibility is off the charts
Quite possibly one of the best details about the app is its accessible nature. It does not require any kind of tuning to accommodate specific finger traits: people of all finger colors, shapes and sizes are able to use it without any hassle.
With each new person that uses it, the algorithm learns more and is better able to perform its job. It’s all uphill from here.