Study finds app better than docs at detecting jaundice

Worried your newborn has jaundice? There's--almost--an app for that. Researchers have reported data from a trial with 100 newborns for the app; they found it has greater accuracy in detecting jaundice than visual exams performed by doctors and that it matches the accuracy of blood tests for bilirubin. High levels of bilirubin indicate that the liver isn't functioning properly and are a sign of jaundice. The app works by using a smartphone with a camera and flash to take pictures of the newborn's chest with a color calibrator, a sheet about the size of a business card with eight different colors. The software processes the images and creates a report. The University of Seattle team working on the app, dubbed BiliCam, believe it will someday be useful in calming parent anxiety and reducing healthcare costs. More