Topic: Best app ever? Eye-test in 2 minutes on your phone
Summary
The current smart phone industry is a very competitive one, companies
need to constantly research and develop new products to remain competitive
and at the top of the market. Today’s phones need to be more than just phones;
they have come a long way from the days when a mobile’s only necessary
features were the ability to make phone calls and send text messages. Many
applications that used to be innovative extras at the cutting edge of the industry
are now seen as basic necessities on any smart phone such as email and editing
documents. For this reason, companies need to be active in their research and
development of new products that appeal to todays technology driven market
and just as savvy in the way they market the release of new products,
applications etc. In addition aesthetics are more and more important as many
people see their phone as a fashion accessory and designs need to be
continuously improved.
According to the World Health Organization, uncorrected refractive errors
are the world’s second-highest cause of blindness, affecting about two per cent
of the world’s population. A team of researchers, including Associate Professor
Ramesh Raskar and postdoctoral research associate Ankit Mohan, at
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), private research university
located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, have developed a method to conduct this
refractive eye test by using a smart phone (an eye-test application with a lens
attachment for smart phones) .
With this new application, you simply need to clip a small plastic device
onto the front of your mobile phone screen. You will then need to look into the
lens of NETRA, Near-Eye Tool for Refractive Assessment, and you will see 2
lines, one red and the other green. You then need to adjust and bring both the
lines into alignment by pressing the phone’s arrow keys. This process should
then be repeated eight times with the lines at different angles for each eye. The
software loaded in the mobile will then provide you with your prescription
information. All that needs to be done then is for you to visit your optician to
pick up any required prescription.
This application could prove particularly useful for someone who has
difficulty with visiting doctors regularly, perhaps due to time constraints or
travel and financial limitations, as it only takes 2 minutes for the whole process.
The eye testing tool on the mobile does not require any expertise, any smart
phone users can use it, and the plastic device can be produced at a cost of about
USD 1 to USD 2 although this could cost less if produced in large quantities.
This application will be sold by “PerfectSight” . The team aims to start
out by targeting Asia and Africa due to the fact that these are areas where people
may find it most difficult to get to an optician to be tested, especially in more
rural areas due to the aforementioned problems with travel, money etc.
One of the team members said, “By using high-resolution LCD displays
with this system, it is potentially not only much faster than today’s standard
methods, but also “potentially more accurate.”
SWOT Analysis
S-Strengths
• Due to the innovative nature and recent release of this application,
PerfectSight does not currently have many competitors. It is the only
application at the moment able to perform such tests therefore it is
entering a market without real competition for this specific device and
could quickly gain hold of the market for this before competition
emerges.
• This application clearly could be very useful for people who have an
existing ophthalmological problem where this could be marketed as being
a necessary phone add on. By saving them time, money and helping them
to monitor their eyes on a regular basis. (obligated application)
• As it only takes 2 minutes for the whole process, users don’t need to
spend much time to do the test. With regards to the alternative methods
there are two main options; a phoropter and a aberrometer. If using a
phoropter, the patient is asked to read characters in various combinations
and many lenses associated with the phoropter analyse the performance
of the eyes. By using an aberrometer, a very expensive method, a laser
beam is set, targeted inside the eye, and with the help of tiny lenses, eye
analysis is done. Thus, phoropter and aberrometer methods take a long
time to do the test.
• This application relies on innovative use of existing hardware (a smart
phone) incorporated with custom software. An existing phone display is
augmented with a device that costs as little as $2. This is significantly
cheaper than sophisticated techniques such as aberrometers or phoropters,
and even a set of trial lenses which costs $100 or more.
• This system relies on a simple alignment task rather than the patient's
ability to discern blur. This gives comparable accuracy, and a simpler user
interaction task.
• Based on a phone, this application easily fits in a backpack for remote
deployment.
• The ease of use and the inherent safety of the system allows for (possibly
at-home) self-evaluation.
W-Weaknesses
• There could be quite a limited target market for this. It would depend on
whether they could market this as a preventative checkup utility for
people to use or whether it could just be marketed to people who already
have eye problems and/or are also in areas where it is difficult to get to an
optician for an eye test. In essence is this being put forward as a real
alternative for conventional eye testing or just for when a person’s access
to the conventional methods is limited.
• This is a smartphone application. Therefore there could be an issue of
trust. The health of a person’s eyes is not a trivial thing and one that they
would usually place in the care of a licensed professional. How much
faith is someone going to put into the accuracy and reliability of a mobile
application?
• The fact that this device is currently only compatible with smart phones
could limit its potential. Especially in very rural areas in their target
markets where people may not own a smart phone.
O-Opportunities
• Nowadays, lots of people have problems with their eyes and this number
could potentially be increasing. This is exacerbated with changes in daily
routines. Increased use of technology such as staring at their laptops,
phones, playing games and even watching television all take their toll on
the eyes. These people tend to need to take extra care of their eyes.
• People are relying more and more on technology. In particular smart
phones are getting applications for almost any utilities, including for
healthcare with information apps, testing apps etc. becoming more
popular. This is another app. in a very popular market with a good unique
selling point that could help it stand out.
T-Threats
• This product could quickly come under competition from companies with
larger financial backing releasing similar alternatives.
• They will need to be careful regarding what approvals they receive for
this and the accuracy they market this as having to avoid any legal
disputes in the case of the possibility of a customer receiving inaccurate
results from the application and subsequently buying incorrect lenses etc.
References
1. http://www.t3.com/news/best-app-ever-eye-test-in-2-minutes-on-your-phone?
=46857
2. http://web.media.mit.edu/~pamplona/NETRA/
3. http://www.fundoonews.com/2010/06/netra-eye-testing-tool-for-testing-eyewith-
cellphone/
4 . http://www.knowabouthealth.com/netra-refractive-eye-test-using-iphone/
3699/
Original News Article
Topic: Best app ever? Eye-test in 2 minutes on your phone
Release Date: 2 July 2010
View date: 4 July 2010
Get your glasses prescription in two minutes flat using eye exam app
Massachusetts Institute of Technology is currently developing an eye-test
application with a lens attachment for smartphones.
You simply whack the lens onto your mobile and fire up the app. It’ll display a
series of lines which you manipulate until they look aligned and clear, and
bingo bango, it spits out your prescription. Then you’re just a swift trip to your
local eyewear emporium away from perfect vision.
The system, Near-Eye Tool for Refractive Assessment (NETRA), is aimed to
provide doctors in developing countries with an alternative to expensive
ophthalmological equipment for eye exams.
It’s unclear whether this’ll become available to you or us at any point, but by
jingo, it’d be mighty handy. Check out the video below to see it in action.
Reference
http://www.t3.com/news/best-app-ever-eye-test-in-2-minutes-on-your-phone?
=46857
Date published: 2 July 2010
Date viewed: 4 July 2010
