Iris Detection Without Flashlight

Wednesday, 26 November, 2008 | 20:09 WIB 

TEMPO Interactive, Bandung:The Indonesian Institute of Sciences’ (LIPI) Informatics Centre is launching software that would enable the process of detecting the health status of the body’s organs and the body system, by use of an iridology examination. “The system is to detect the body’s condition through the eyes’ iris which is digitally photographed,” said Wawan Wardiana, Lipirisma Researchers Team chief during the first software launch at the LIPI office in Bandung, last Monday. 

The software can aid doctors in looking at the patient’s condition before diagnosing his disease. Doctors can see through the iris from a digital photograph through Lipirisma. “We will no longer need a flashlight to check on the patient anymore,” Wawan said. 

The team is also developing home-based software which people can use before going to the doctor. The home edition is a simpler tool than the ones designed for professionals. 

The software is an improvement over the previous eye iris monitoring software, first developed in 2006. A student at the Surabaya’s Tenth November University has also created his version of the eye iris software. “We guarantee that this software is safe and has a high accuracy rate,” Wawan said. 

Many features come with the Lipirisma software, for instance, a special camera, storing a picture file in a JPEG format, facilitating the analysis function because it provides a Jensen-Chart circle whose area shows information on the related organ. Lipirisma also has database to record the result of the patient’s iris analysis, the iris diagnostic history and a photograph of the patient. The offered retail price is Rp 1,5 million. 

Doctor Farida Megadini from the An Nabwah Clinic in Surabaya has been testing the system for three weeks and said its accuracy rate was 80 percent. “This tool will help doctors in analyzing their patients’ organ’s condition and system by looking at the seven circle zones in the eyes iris in line with Dr Ignatz van Peczely’s projection,” said Farida, who was also involved in the study. 

The tool can be used to treat cataract patients, but it will be difficult for patients suffering total trauma. Many requirements must be met in order to use the tools. For instance, the need for suitable lighting when taking the photograph and using at least a three-pixel camera. “This is to allow a diagnosis of the organs’ health and body system,” he concluded. 

ALWAN RIDHA RAMDANI