Researchers have created a way for a smartphone to 'hear' a warning sign of ear infections -- fluid buildup behind the eardrum.
WASHINGTON -- Researchers have created a way for a smartphone to "hear" a warning sign of ear infections -- fluid buildup behind the eardrum.
Diagnosis is difficult. Usually a pediatrician will peek into the child's ear to see if the eardrum is inflamed, and parents can buy devices that use cameras to do the same thing. But ear specialists tend to use pricier, more complex tests that measure if the eardrum is pliable enough to vibrate correctly in response to sound, or is stiff from the pressure of fluid behind it.
"This type of technology could potentially avoid needless doctor visits," said Dr. Justin Golub, a Columbia University ear specialist who wasn't involved with the research. Golub often sees patients with suspected ear infections who don't actually have one. He called the tool's accuracy "quite impressive."
"Examining ears is difficult," and better tools are needed for doctors, too, said Dr. Alejandro Hoberman, pediatrics chief at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, who also wasn't part of the research.
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