Smartphones with multispectral imaging for medical testing

Modern smartphones equipped with integrated red-green-blue (RGB) cameras are widely used for biomedical imaging and diagnostic assays. However, their limited spectral resolution prevents accurate fluorescence imaging and quantitative sensing. Recent advancements in smartphone-based multispectral imaging (MSI), such as multi-channel CMOS sensors and Bragg mirror–based spectral filters, provide direct multi-wavelength detection with enhanced spectral accuracy. The shift from RGB imaging to MSI smartphones significantly improves fluorescence imaging and sensing by allowing precise differentiation of overlapping emission spectra, true-color fluorescence observation, and quantitative assessment of fluorescent biomarkers. These characteristics are important for fluorescence-based diagnostics, point-of-care testing, and novel applications such as contact-lens sensors and fluorescence-guided imaging. Smartphone-based MSI platforms provide compact, user-friendly, and high-resolution devices that enhance the depth and accuracy of fluorescence imaging and optical sensing in biomedical research and clinical applications.