Engineers and physicians from the University of Washington collaborated on a smartphone app that can aid both parents and pediatricians to detect jaundice in babies.

Yellowing skin is a sign that the infant isn't eliminating an adequate amount of the chemical bilirubin.

Bilirubin is a byproduct of the breakdown of red blood cells, which the liver usually metabolizes. Since the livers of newborn infants aren't fully functioning yet, they metabolize bilirubin at a much slower rate than adults.

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Despite the physical manifestations of jaundice, skin discoloration can sometimes be hard to see and severe jaundice that is left untreated can lead to brain damage or kernicterus, which is fatal.

BiliCam, which can deliver results in minutes, can be used as a screening tool in determining if an infant needs a blood test to check for levels of bilirubin.

James Taylor, professor of pediatrics and medical director of the newborn nursery at University of Washington Medical Center, shared, "Virtually every baby gets jaundiced, and we're sending them home from the hospital even before bilirubin levels reach their peak."

Parents or doctors download the app, then using a smartphone's camera and flash the baby's photo is taken with a color calibration card.

The said card calibrates and adjusts the different lighting conditions and skin tones. The photo is uploaded to the clouded and analyzed, after which, the results of the baby's bilirubin levels are delivered.

The app can be used on infants during the first few days after they are brought home. This gives both doctors and parents accurate readings of babies' bilirubin levels.

Shwetak Patel, associate professor of computer science and engineering and of electrical engineering, stated, "This is a way to provide peace of mind for the parents of newborns. The advantage of doing the analysis in the cloud is that our algorithms can be improved over time."

Currently, another non-invasive screening device for jaundice is available in hospitals, but it can't be used at home and, using it will cost much more than the app.