They develop an application that can help detect overdose through a mobile phone



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Technology advances unstoppable in the field of medicine and health, proof of this is, for example, a toilet that can detect diseases from our waste or digital tablets that tell your doctor if you take them or not. In this sense, the smartphone plays a fundamental role which is complemented by the use of various carrier materials and applications.

Once it turns out that there is no causal relationship between the radiation of our cell phones and cancer, the phone can become an indispensable tool for preventing or detecting illness. Evidence for this is an application for a second chance, developed by a group of researchers at the University of Washington.

Breath is the key

Another opportunity Web007 University of Washington

If we recently reiterated an application that helped detect anemia in a nail photo, now we need to talk about a new mobile application that could alert doctors. If someone suffers from an overdose of opioids (including prescription drugs and heroin via synthetic opiates such as fentanyl).

The application is called the Second Opportunity and is in the testing phase, but its creators say it can detect early signs of overdose in minutes after injecting heroin. For this, uses the speaker and the microphone of the smartphone, so that it becomes a kind of sonar to "listen" and measure the breath.

Another opportunity Web004 University of Washington

The development team ensures the use does not save any recording or requests access to the camera phone, so it can be very useful in further studies of drug addicts.

According to MIT Technology Review, the application was tested with 194 participants who enjoyed it heroin, fentanyl, or morphine injection (supervised) in Vancouver. The system accurately determined apnea (temporary respiratory failure) 97.7% fold and slow respiration 89.3% (both are symptoms of possible overdose).

After testing in 194 patients, the application found apnea and slow respiration (symptoms of overdose) 97.7% and 89.3% of the time.

In a major later study (published by Science Translational Medicine magazine), the application announced 19 out of 20 simulated overdoses By following the breath. On this occasion, the tests were carried out in an operating room where anesthetics were used to simulate the problem.

Second Chance creators have already patented the technology and await the approval of the FDA (United States Food and Drug Administration). Also, its purpose is to integrate the application with 911 that emergency services can reach and respond more quickly to those who have experienced overdosage.

Via | Engadget

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