Like dirty diapers and sleepless nights, ear infections are just one of those things that come with having a young child. Sometimes the problem is obvious, complete with ear-tugging and screaming. Other times it’s not so obvious — leading to unnecessary doctor’s visits.
Researchers at the University of Washington have a clever fix for this problem. They’ve developed a smartphone app that can tell when fluid has built up behind the eardrum and predict the likelihood of an infection.
“Designing an accurate screening tool on something as ubiquitous as a smartphone can be game-changing for parents as well as health care providers in resource-limited regions,” said Shyam Gollakota, a co-author on the study and an associate professor of computer science and engineering at UW, in an announcement.
