Smart Thermometer Offers Diagnosis & Treatment

Whenever you’re feeling sick, one of the first things you do is take your temperature to see if you’re running a fever, which makes the thermometer one of the most important medical devices out there. But a new thermometer model does a whole lot more than take your temperature: it also offers a possible diagnosis and treatment advice.

The Kinsa Smart Thermometer, designed by the company with the same name, is currently up for crowdfunding on Indiegogo. It looks like a regular thermometer, except that it doesn’t have any display to show you the temperature or any battery to power it. Instead, the device has to be plugged in the headphone jack of your iPhone, where the accompanying Kinsa app will display the temperature with incredible accuracy.

The application can be used to create patient profiles and keep track of their symptoms and temperature. If necessary, the information can be sent to the doctor with just the touch of a button, with the help of the same app. It can also be used to access public health records or local user groups to find out if there are any bugs going around.

The application is also able to provide advice on what treatment would be best for the patient, based on their symptoms. If the patient’s condition is worsening, the app can also book appointments at local medical clinics and get you in contact with a Kinsa nurse, for recommendations and support.

The Kinsa app is also a good way for local communities to discuss illnesses in their area. It could be especially useful for use in third-world countries, as it would allow doctors to identify any dangerous disease outbreaks and act immediately in order to prevent them from spreading.

For the time being, the Smart Thermometer only works with an iPhone, but an Android model is in the works. It is available for a $25 pledge on Indiegogo, with special bulk packages also available, in order to encourage shared use within a local community. The manufacturers expect to have the product ready and start shipments in November.

[Images via Mashable & Digital trends]