Design of a bilirubin light intensity tester for developing world hospitals

Phototherapy by bililights is the gold standard used to provide treatment for jaundiced neonates. Jaundice is the accumulation of bilirubin in the blood which, if not treated in neonates, can lead to severe retardation and physical abnormalities. Since bililights are the primary treatment method for jaundice, bililight units need to be checked to determine if the intensity they are providing is in the correct therapeutic range. Typically, developing world hospitals have little or no funds available for purchasing, maintaining and fixing medical equipment or testing devices. Therefore, the sponsor of this project, Engineering World Health (EWH), is supporting the design and construction of an inexpensive bililight intensity tester for use in developing world hospitals. © 2006 IEEE.