The world of biomedical apps: their uses, limitations, and potential

Abstract

Many significant biomedical discoveries of old were made in the private property of famous scientists e.g. Leeuwenhoek and Archimedes. Today, discoveries are made in brightly-lit, hi-tech, ergonomic buildings that house research institutes. While such development is advantageous in many aspects, the spatial restriction of research into well-organized structures may delay and limit the spontaneity necessary for discoveries. The smartphone and peripheral mobile devices have the potential to not only increase the productivity and mobility of biomedical research, but also restore some freedom from spatial constraints. One possible way this can occur is the development of a mobile biomedical lab that allows researchers to carry out core research processes 'on-the-go' without being spatially restrained within a building or availability of equipment. For this exciting prospect, we surveyed the Google and Apple app stores, discussing the limitations and the potential of this area. Based on the developments, it appears to be just a matter of time before the majority of biomedical labs processes and equipment become mobile, centred on the smartphone and peripheral devices.

A smart device application for the automated determination of E. coli colonies on agar plates

“…To conclude, it can be said that the rise of scientific apps and smart devices within the laboratory environment promises to give researchers independence from traditional laboratory devices and paves the way for inexpensive science experiments for everyone [5].…”

smartLAB – Interaktives Arbeiten in digitalisierter Laborumgebung

“…So finden vermehrt Smartdevices wie Smartphones und Datenbrillen Einsatz im Labor. Es wurden in den letzten Jahren verschiedene wissenschaftliche Apps entwickelt, die das Arbeiten im Labor erleichtern sollen [3]. Die von Sim et al publizierte GelApp ermöglicht die Dokumentation und das densitometrische Auswerten von Gelelektrophorese-Experimenten [4].…”

OligoCOOL: A mobile application for nucleotide sequence analysis

“…These applications are, in fact, researcher assistants that can conveniently analyze data, whenever there exist limitations to access assistant and computers. Recently, some mobile apps have been developed for biological and medical purposes : GelApp for detection and quantification of gel electrophoresis bands, DNA2app and DNAApp for sequence analysis, and YASARA View as an app for molecular modeling. OligoCOOL is an easy tool to use application designed for professionals and amateurs, capable of performing fast and useful nucleic sequence analyses through smartphones and tablets.…”