This idea was first proposed, the engineers of the Washington.
The problem of detecting ear infections in children is now extremely acute. An ear infection usually appears due to the accumulation of fluid behind the eardrum, which results in inflammation. This inflammation is called otitis media.
To detect such an infection is extremely difficult without surgical intervention. The situation is compounded by the fact that the child is difficult to describe their symptoms, what doctors can not pinpoint the cause. In addition, the symptoms of otitis media are often similar to other disease unrelated to the ear infections.
Engineers from Washington announced the creation of a special mobile application, which identificeret the presence of fluid behind the eardrum by sound pulses. For the diagnosis it is necessary to have a smartphone and a special sheet-a tube of small size. With the help of these two devices and the whole discovery process. The phone gives a series of beeps through a tube placed in the ear. The signal is then reflected from the eardrum and returns to the phone. The idea is that the ear with fluid behind the eardrum reflects sound waves not as usual. It is noted that the material of the sheet-tubes and the type of smartphone do not affect the results of the survey.
The application engineers have already tested almost one hundred children. Engineers say that 15 babies of 8 to 19 months were able to detect data abnormalities of the ear, or to refute them. In the future, the specialists intend to make the app available for every citizen. They believe this will help parents identify the causes of poor health of the child and to start timely treatment.
