Anemia is one of the most common blood diseases in the world where it has been estimated that it affects about 2 billion people in the work. For those unfamiliar, it is basically where a person lacks red blood cells or hemoglobin, and as a result some of the symptoms (which aren’t necessarily exclusive to the disease) include fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, and so on.
Previously to test for anemia, patients would have to undergo an invasive blood test to determine what their hemoglobin levels are, but thanks to researchers at Emory University, they have created a cross-platform mobile app (via 9to5Mac) that can apparently test for anemia with a single photo of your fingernails.
Basically the app will snap a photo of your fingernails. Users are then asked to point out where their fingernails are in the photo, and the app will then analyze it. It will be smart enough where it will be able to disregard camera flash, and based on the color of your nails, it will then be able to tell your hemoglobin levels in which you can then use to determine if you might have anemia.
Of course this test doesn’t necessarily guarantee that you have anemia, but given how quickly it works and how non-invasive it is, it does make it easier for people to test themselves at home to decide if they should see a doctor. Unfortunately the app isn’t available to the public at the moment, and whether or not it will be remains to be seen.
Given how there is an interest in developing accessible and non-invasive medical tools, we wouldn’t be surprised if companies such as Apple would want to include such a feature into its iPhones in the future.