A smartphone attachment has been developed by a research team at the University of California San Diego that can assess neurological conditions by measuring changes in pupil size. This is particularly important for individuals with dark skin tones, as traditional methods have struggled in these cases.
The new smartphone attachment fits over the device’s camera and uses a filter to restrict light to the far-red spectrum. This makes the iris appear lighter in resulting images, allowing for more accurate pupil size measurements for those with dark eyes.
Colin Barry, one of the researchers involved in the project, highlighted the importance of creating an inexpensive and fair solution for neurological screenings, regardless of smartphone price, make, or model.
The device has shown promise in assessing pupil responses in individuals with different eye colors, providing a potential avenue for fair access to remote, affordable healthcare.
For more information, you can access the study in Scientific Reports titled “Racially fair pupillometry measurements for RGB smartphone cameras using the far red spectrum.”
Source: University of California San Diego
