Cellphone capable of detecting HIV and other diseases

Cellphone technology has come a long way as companies have taken it one step further by integrating music, camera and video playback capabilities. It seems that scientists made further advancement when they successfully integrated a blood tester into a cellphone.

Cellphones are probably one of the most important technological marvels to impact just about everyone worldwide in recent times. There are third world counties where cellphone towers exist despite the lack of phone and power lines. That is why it comes as no surprise that scientists over at UCLA have developed a cellphone capable of analyzing blood to detect diseases such as HIV, malaria and other illnesses.

Traditionally, scientists have had to use large devices, which are hard to transport to run blood tests. These devices cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and require trained technicians to operate. These devices are also usually kept in labs and are not meant to be used on the field.

With the development of a portable blood tester in a cellphone, scientists and field technicians who work in third world countries could quickly detect diseases on the fly. This technology could change the way many scientists operate out in the field. There would be no more need to send the blood sample off to a lab to be analyzed, as the results could be produced quickly.

I talked about a research project by Intel to develop self powered cellphones not that long ago. The research effort was to develop cellphones that could be powered indefinitely from the environment. If these two technologies could be married, the cellphone would become the ultimate tool for someone working out in the field.

A user could work out somewhere in Africa, testing for malaria for days at a time without having to recharge the cellphone’s battery. Just by looking at the research efforts going on today, it seems cellphones will be playing an even bigger role in the future.

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