Phototherapy is the most common form of therapy for jaundice in newborns. However, it is difficult to measure the amount of light waves that penetrate the newborn's skin. In addition, these phototherapy units cost more than $2,000, a cost too high to be utilized in low-resource settings.

Detailed description of the solution

This phototherapy light meter allows physicians to determine the effectiveness of phototherapy lights. The light meters allow technicians to identify the amount of light that is given off in the spectrum of visible light. In addition, these meters also have filters that can block interference. In this way, these light meters can be used to validate the irradiance of tube-based phototherapy devices.

Designed by

• Designed by: Ron Newton, chief technical consultant for Global Healing
• Manufacturer (if different):
• Manufacturer location: Berkely, CA, USA

When and where it was tested/implemented

This device has been implemented in a range of locations, such as areas that speak English, Spanish, French, Russian, Swahili, Thai, Arabic and Chinese.

Funding Source

Global Healing

References