Lab Chat: A smartphone app to help diagnose ear infections at home

A UW SCHOOL OF MEDICINE PROFESSOR PRACTICES USING THE APP AND FUNNEL TO CHECK HIS DAUGHTER'S EAR. (DENNIS WISE/UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON)

Middle ear infections, detected by fluid buildup in the ear canal, are the most common reason for pediatric doctor visits. But an otoscope used by a general physician is only 51% accurate, and a visit with a specialist requires more time. Researchers have now built a smartphone app, tested out by both physicians and parents, that can detect the presence of fluid in a child’s ear 85% of the time. Here’s what Justin Chan, of the University of Washington and one of the new study’s authors, told me about the work, published in Science Translational Medicine.

How is your app better than what's currently available?

One advantage is that the app is more accurate than an otoscope. The probability that our app will detect correctly if there is fluid in your child's ear is 85%, which is comparable to specialist tools. But the difference is you can use our app in the comfort of your home.

Is it already available in app stores? And what does the future look like?

It’s not currently available in app stores, but we're hoping to have it in there in a year's time. We're also hoping to get FDA approval by the end of year. We created a company — Edus Health — and are partnering with physicians in developing countries.