I read an article on technologyreview.com about a new cheap lens developed at the University of California that allow a cell phone's camera to detect the shapes of cells in a blood sample. This can allow diagnosing blood conditions in places without medical infrastructure.
The system is designed to let field workers to take pictures of blood samples from their patients, and send them to doctors through the cellular network. Unlike other similar devices this one is inexpensive. This is possible because it is made out of a very simple lens made from a single ball of glass, about one millimeter in diameter and held in position with a small piece of rubber. This small size allows for a good magnification result.
One downside to this new technology is that the image is significantly distorted except for one small area directly behind the lens. This flaw is corrected however by a software that takes multiple shots of the blood sample and then combining them to create a clear image.
The system was developed using the iPhone 4 but it can be adapted to cheaper phones with lower camera quality.
http://www.technologyreview.com/communications/38793/?p1=MstRcnt
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