Photo by © The Associated Press via
CBC
Pre-reading questions:
- Do you like using health apps in smartphones? Why or why not?
- What are the health apps that you use? If none, how do you check your health?
Vocabulary:
- invent /in-VENT/
[verb] to design and/or create something that has never been made before
The Wright brothers invented the first successful airplane.
- infection /in-FEK-shuhn/
[noun] a disease in a part of your body that is caused by bacteria or a virus
It was advisable that humans should take a bath at least once a day to avoid skin infections.
- analysis /uh-NAL-uh-sis/
[noun] the study of something in detail
Researchers are doing an extensive analysis about the symptoms of the patient’s illness.
- implant /im-PLANT/
[verb] to put an organ, group of cells, or device into the body in a medical operation
A human brain was implanted to a pig’s body for research purposes.
- patent /PAT-nt/
[noun] the official legal right to make or sell an invention for a particular number of years
Students from the medical school are applying for a patent on the health detector app that they created.
Engineers and doctors from the University of Washington invented the first app that can sound out ear infection in children with the use of a piece of paper, folded into a funnel and attached onto a smartphone. The app works by playing birdlike chirps and the phone’s microphone will then recognize sound waves bouncing off the eardrum. It analyzes the echo from a healthy eardrum but if the reflected sound is altered, it means pus or uninfected fluid is present. It also sends a text message if fluid is present in the ear or any information that can be used for medical analysis.
Researchers tested the system using a smartphone on 98 children between the ages of 18 months and 17 years. Half of the children’s ear had tubes implanted for the doctors to know exactly how much fluid is present and to compare its results with the app. It was found out that the smartphone approach is as good as or can also be better than the hearing testing devices. The university has already filed for patent and is still seeking for approval from the Food and Drugs Administration to sell the app.
Comprehension Questions:
- Who created the first app that can sound out ear infection in children?
- According to the article, how are you going to use the paper on an app?
- How does the app work based on the article?
- How did the researchers test the system?
- What did the researchers find out about the smartphone approach?
Discussion Questions:
- Do you think checking a child’s ear at home and by the parents themselves is safe? Please explain your answer.
- Do you think self-medication is safe? Why or why not?
- What do you think are the advantages of having an app that can detect ear infections? Please explain your answer.
- What do you think are the disadvantages of having an app that can detect ear infections? Please explain your answer.
- Do you think you can trust an app that tells you what your health conditions are? Why or why not?
※レッスン教材に関するアンケートのお願い
[verb] to design and/or create something that has never been made before
The Wright brothers invented the first successful airplane.
[noun] a disease in a part of your body that is caused by bacteria or a virus
It was advisable that humans should take a bath at least once a day to avoid skin infections.
[noun] the study of something in detail
Researchers are doing an extensive analysis about the symptoms of the patient’s illness.
[verb] to put an organ, group of cells, or device into the body in a medical operation
A human brain was implanted to a pig’s body for research purposes.
[noun] the official legal right to make or sell an invention for a particular number of years
Students from the medical school are applying for a patent on the health detector app that they created.
Researchers tested the system using a smartphone on 98 children between the ages of 18 months and 17 years. Half of the children’s ear had tubes implanted for the doctors to know exactly how much fluid is present and to compare its results with the app. It was found out that the smartphone approach is as good as or can also be better than the hearing testing devices. The university has already filed for patent and is still seeking for approval from the Food and Drugs Administration to sell the app.