A team of researchers from the University of Washington has developed a groundbreaking mobile app called FeverPhone, which can transform your smartphone into a thermometer. By utilizing the existing hardware of smartphones and repurposing the battery temperature sensors, the app can estimate people’s core body temperatures using machine learning.
FeverPhone App Shows Promising Accuracy in Estimating Core Body Temperatures
In a clinical trial conducted at an emergency department, FeverPhone demonstrated accuracy comparable to some consumer thermometers in estimating core body temperatures. The researchers published their findings in Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies.
Joseph Breda, the lead author and a doctoral student at the University of Washington, explained that the inspiration for FeverPhone came from previous research on using smartphone sensors to measure air temperature. Recognizing the potential for health applications, they decided to focus on measuring fever as it is a common concern but often lacks accessible thermometers.
Revolutionary App Shows Potential for Early Fever Detection and Intervention
Although the app requires further training data before widespread use, medical professionals are excited about its potential. By allowing individuals to share their fever results with public health agencies, similar to COVID exposure warnings, early detection and intervention can become possible.
Traditional clinical-grade thermometers use thermistors to estimate body temperature. Interestingly, off-the-shelf smartphones already contain these thermistors, typically used to monitor battery temperature. The researchers discovered that by tracking heat transfer between a person and a phone, utilizing the touchscreen for skin-to-phone contact and the thermistors for air temperature and heat rise, FeverPhone can estimate body temperature.
The successful clinical trial involved comparing FeverPhone’s temperature estimates against readings from an oral thermometer. Out of the 37 participants recruited, 16 had at least a mild fever.
The potential of FeverPhone to revolutionize temperature measurement and early fever detection is tremendous. As the app continues to be refined and further validated, it could become a valuable tool in monitoring individuals’ health and contributing to public health efforts. With just a smartphone in hand, measuring body temperature may soon become more convenient and accessible than ever before.
