Diagnosing anemia, a condition defined by low red blood cell count that can represent iron deficiency, is straightforward enough in much of the world. Doctors do so by drawing a blood sample to take stock of hemoglobin levels, the protein found within the blood cells, but in places without such access to health care it often goes undiagnosed. This can lead to dangerous complications that include severe fatigue, heart problems and death. Looking to tackle this problem, scientists have developed an app that accurately measures hemoglobin levels in a patient using the phone’s camera and flash, raising the prospect of a low-cost, non-invasive screening tool for the condition.
