Google Glass app helps researchers track spread of diseases around the world

The much-talked-about Google Glass - the eyewear with laptop capabilities - might probably save lives, particularly in isolated or far-flung locations, say scientists. they're news development of a Google Glass app that takes an image of a assay strip and sends the information to computers, that then chop-chop beam back a diagnostic report back to the user. the data additionally might facilitate researchers track the unfold of diseases round the world. The study seems within the journal ACS Nano, a publication of the yankee Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society.

"It's important to observe rising public health threats early, before a plague arises and plenty of lives ar lost," says Aydogan Ozcan, Ph.D. "With our app for Google Glass and our remote computing and information analysis power, we will deliver a one-two punch - offer quantified medical specialty check results for individual patients, and analyze all those information to work out whether or not a pestilence is impending."

Google Glass seems like a combine of eyeglasses while not the lenses, however with atiny low rectangular clear screen close to the correct eye that functions as a small display screen. A mouse is made into the correct arm of the frame.

Ozcan and colleagues at the University of California, l.  a.  , designed a custom app for Google Glass. The app uses Glass' intrinsic  camera to require an image of a assay, referred to as a lateral flow immunochromatographic assay. a well-recognized example of such associate degree assay may be a home bioassay.

 The wearable laptop transmits pictures of those check strips with their custom-created Quick-Response (known as "QR") code identifiers to additional powerful computers in different elements of the globe for analysis. Then, a quantified diagnostic result's beamed back to the Google Glass user. If the user is during a remote space while not Wi-Fi, then he or she will connect Glass to a smartphone to transmit the info} along side geographical information for sickness following.

In pilot tests, the team with success used the strategy with HIV and prostate-specific matter (known as "PSA") assays. Results were out there inside eight seconds for every individual check. they may even take an image of many check strips next to every different in one image and are available up with the proper diagnoses.

Other medical diagnostic devices supported smartphone technology, together with one recently developed by Ozcan's team, need extra instrumentation to be hooked up to the device. Or they need intensive handling of the device and also the tests. however the researchers note that their Google Glass set-up works with none external hardware attachments. it's additionally hands-free, permitting busy technicians to quickly undergo several patient tests during a short amount.